Cybergenetics Accelerates the UK National DNA Database.

Business Editors, Health/Medical & High Tech Writers

BIOWIRE2K

PITTSBURGH--(BW HealthWire)--July 11, 2001

The Forensic Science Service (FSS) of the United Kingdom (UK) is now using Cybergenetics' automated software for building the UK National DNA Database. This crime-reducing database helps police catch criminals by matching DNA from a crime scene to a DNA database of known offenders.

Translating DNA signals into useful information is a labor-intensive task. Indeed, this exhausting data review represents most of the effort expended when building a high-quality forensic DNA database. The problem is compounded by the shortage of trained DNA analysts.

Cybergenetics TrueAllele(TM) Technology overcomes this bottleneck by providing automated expert system software that replicates and replaces scarce human expertise. The use of Cybergenetics powerful technology is now accelerating the construction of the UK DNA database, and ensuring the high quality standards of the FSS, while reducing costs significantly.

"We are pleased that the FSS is finding immediate benefits from deploying our novel TrueAllele Technology as its automation engine for DNA profiling," says Dr. Mark Perlin, CEO of Cybergenetics. "We appreciate this unique opportunity to help the UK rapidly expand its high-quality DNA database for reducing crime."

"We, at the FSS," says Dr. Janet Thompson, Chief Executive of the FSS, "have been using TrueAllele technology in the processing of criminal justice samples for the National DNA Database since April 2001. We have seen a significant increase in DNA data analysis efficiency and sample throughput. TrueAllele has become an invaluable tool in the further expansion of the National DNA Database."

"TrueAllele automates DNA data review in many ways," says Dr. Perlin. "With good data, Cybergenetics' expert system virtually eliminates all human involvement. TrueAllele diagnoses the problematic data, providing focused feedback that improves data quality."

TrueAllele automatically analyzes STR data from capillary and gel-based DNA sequencers. Rules and rankings assess the quality of every genotype. The software processes all standard STR panels, and runs on Macintosh, Windows and UNIX computers. The TrueAllele Technology is protected by US patents 5,541,067, 5,580,728, 5,876,933, and 6,054,268, which have broad and deep claims covering every aspect of automated STR analysis, including quality issues such as genotyping error and accuracy.

Cybergenetics is a bioinformation company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that innovates unique computational approaches for forensic and genetic research. Cybergenetics (http://www.cybgen.com) is committed to providing effective software systems that accelerate and simplify genetic discovery.

The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is a leading innovator of STR technology, and built most of Britain's National DNA Database. This national forensic database is the largest of its kind in the world, containing DNA profiles from over one million offenders. Using this database, 40% of crime stains submitted to the FSS now identify the perpetrator. The FSS (http://www.fss.org.uk) is an executive agency of the British Home Office serving the police forces of England, Wales, and 60 other nations.

Copyright 2001 Cybergenetics. All rights reserved.