Fluidigm TOPAZ(R) System Expedites Structure Determination for the Hemagglutinin of the H5N1 Avian Flu Virus; Latest Discovery One of Many High Profile Structures Linked to TOPAZ System.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The TOPAZ(R) system for protein crystallization figured prominently in structure-based research on receptor specificity of the hemagglutinin (HA) from an H5N1 avian influenza virus, commonly known as "avian flu". The goal of this research was to identify mutations that can permit influenza A viruses to cross the species barrier and adapt to a new host. The TOPAZ system allowed researchers to efficiently identify initial leads for solving the HA structure. Continued outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in poultry and wild birds make the potential emergence of a human-adapted H5 virus a growing threat. "We are thrilled that TOPAZ played a role in this discovery, and, given the importance of the project, that results were obtained so quickly," said Gajus Worthington, CEO of Fluidigm. The study was published in the April 21st 2006 issue of Science Magazine (see www.sciencemag.org and supporting online material). The work represents a collaboration of investigators from several publicly funded U.S. research organizations.* E[acute accent]"We used the TOPAZ system to conduct initial crystallization trials, which allowed us to rapidly identify suitable crystallization conditions while conserving our valuable baculovirus expressed H5 hemagglutinin for other project needs," said Ian Wilson, Professor at The Scripps Research Institute (www.tsri.edu). "Translation of the conditions into sitting drops was focused on the most promising initial hits, again helping to conserve precious resources. These crystals were then used for X-ray structure determination." E[acute accent]The TOPAZ system is unique in its usage of microfluidic chips comprised of a network of integrated channels and valves that enable crystallization study via the free interface diffusion technique. The TOPAZ X.96 screening chips are capable of running up to 768 experiments in parallel with as little as 10 nanoliters of protein per condition. To match pace with this experimental throughput, Dr. Wilson's group uses the TOPAZ AutoInspeX(R) workstation, which streamlines the time-consuming process of downstream analysis by automating the scoring of crystallization results. This latest structure discovery from The Scripps Research Institute is one of several linked to customers of the TOPAZ system that are expected for publication this year. E[acute accent]* Authors include researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology, Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and the Glycan Array Synthesis Core-D at The Scripps Research Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

E[acute accent]About Fluidigm

E[acute accent]Fluidigm Corporation develops and distributes systems based on the unique properties of integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs) to precisely control fluids on a nano-volume scale. The company's vision is to create and to lead a new industry in which IFCs bring unparalleled efficiencies to the life science and allied fields. In 2003 the company launched its first product line: the TOPAZ(R) system for protein crystallization. The system streamlines the process of protein structure determination and subsequent drug design. Currently, the company is introducing the BioMark(TM) system, which leverages IFCs to achieve dramatic improvements, compared to conventional microwell plates, in real-time qPCR. The BioMark system also reads specialized chips that detect single copies of a target sequences in a high background of similar sequences. Other IFCs in the pipeline include applications for the following: customizable antibody arrays, rapid synthesis of radio-labeled imaging probes, and preparation of nucleic acids for analysis. Based in South San Francisco, California, the Company is privately held and backed by premier investors: Versant Ventures, Euclid SR Partners, InterWest Partners, Lehman Brothers Healthcare Fund, Bruce Burrows, the Singapore EDB, Lilly BioVentures, the Invus Group, GE Equity, SightLine Partners, and Alloy Ventures.