Illumina Announces Worldwide Availability of Multi-Sample, Genome-Wide Expression Microarrays for Mouse Genome; Mouse is First in a Range of Model Organisms to Be Supported by BeadArray Technology.

SAN DIEGO -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced today that it has begun commercial shipment of two new Sentrix(R) BeadChips that enable multi-sample whole-genome or RefSeq-based expression profiling of mouse samples. Probe content for the new BeadChips is based on well-annotated sequence information derived largely from the Mouse Exonic Evidence-Based Oligonucleotide (MEEBO) consortium. The BeadChips enable profiling of over 47,000 mouse RNA transcripts and variants for the purpose of gene discovery, gene function and pathway research, toxicological studies and molecular characterization of disease. Sentrix Mouse Expression BeadChips are priced to dramatically reduce the cost of genome-wide expression analysis and allow researchers to expand the scale of biological experimentation.

Roughly 99% of human genes have counterparts in the mouse genome, making mouse an ideal model organism for understanding the genetic basis of human disease. Genetic variation and RNA profiles associated with specific phenotypes can be identified in large sets of mouse samples before validation in humans.

The new BeadChips have undergone testing at customer locations around the world, including the Center for Immunology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Edward K. Wakeland, Ph.D., Professor, Edwin L. Cox Distinguished Chair in Immunology and Genetics, and Director of the Center for Immunology, is analyzing data from new Mouse BeadChips as part of a study to explore transcription and functionality of genes known to confer resistance and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as lupus. "Illumina's technology and new mouse arrays have given us a powerful and integrated set of tools for understanding key pathways that affect the immune system and for determining the impact of disease-specific therapies," stated Dr. Wakeland.

The Sentrix Mouse-6 BeadChip is designed to analyze six discrete mouse RNA samples on one chip, interrogating in each sample nearly 48,000 sequences from the mouse transcriptome. The Mouse-6 BeadChip contains over 10 million features. A companion product, the Sentrix MouseRef-8 BeadChip, can query eight samples in parallel against approximately 24,000 sequences derived from transcripts represented in the consensus RefSeq database, a well-characterized, whole-genome subset used broadly in genetic analysis. Like other Sentrix BeadChips, every feature on every array receives 100% quality-control testing during manufacturing.

Quan Li, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Head of the Microarray Core Lab at UT Southwestern, has been running the BeadChip-based microarray experiments on the Illumina BeadStation system. "In addition to reproducibly outstanding analytical performance, Illumina's mouse arrays are characterized by ease of use, low sample and labor requirements, and affordable per-sample pricing," said Dr. Li. "We have also benefited from the novel visualization tools included in Illumina's BeadStudio software package."

The new Sentrix BeadChips are part of a complete gene expression portfolio from Illumina that includes both genome-wide and focused-content arrays as well as powerful assays like the DASL(TM) assay, which enables high-multiplex expression profiling of partially degraded RNAs such as those found in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples.

"The market has been looking forward to more sensitive and lower-cost solutions for gene expression analysis since the adoption of microarray methods," stated Todd Dickinson, Ph.D., Illumina's Associate Director of Product Marketing. "Our new Mouse BeadChips extend Illumina's gene expression value proposition into model organisms, allowing investigators to further expand their experimental scale, generate more meaningful data, and obtain those data at significantly lower cost. We plan to release a genome-wide expression array for the rat genome before the end of the year."

Illumina (www.illumina.com) is developing next-generation tools that permit large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function. The Company's proprietary BeadArray(TM) technology -- now used in leading genome centers around the world -- provides the throughput, cost effectiveness and flexibility to enable researchers in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries to perform the billions of tests necessary to extract medically valuable information from advances in genomics and proteomics. This information will help pave the way to personalized medicine. For additional detail on the new Sentrix BeadChips for genome-wide mouse expression, visit www.illumina.com/products/arraysreagents/gwe_mouse6.ilmn .

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: this release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements are the costs and outcome of Illumina's litigation with Affymetrix, the Company's ability to scale and integrate CyVera technology, the ability to further scale oligo synthesis output and technology to satisfy market demand deriving from the Company's collaboration with Invitrogen, Illumina's ability to further develop and commercialize its BeadArray technologies and to deploy new gene expression and genotyping products and applications for its platform technology, to manufacture robust Sentrix(R) arrays and Oligator(R) oligonucleotides, and other factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. Illumina disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements beyond the date of this release.