MWG Biotech AG Starts Fully Validated Inflammatory Array.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

EBERSBERG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 2003

With the new MWG Inflammatory Array MWG Biotech AG presents the first fully validated microarray for genes involved in inflammation. Chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis are major medical problems. At the molecular level inflammation is characterized by profound changes in the expression - and the activity - of a large number of genes. Microarrays are ideally suited for the parallel monitoring of changes in the inflammatory gene expression profile. The MWG Inflammatory Array was developed by the research team of Prof. Michael Kracht at the Medical School Hannover (MHH) in the context of a collaborative research program that investigates the potential of cytokine receptors and cytokine-induced signalling pathways for therapy. The microarray allows the analysis of 136 important inflammatory genes in mice and man.

Probes for these genes were designed at the MWG Biotech AG bioinformatics department and their specificity and functionality was then validated at the MHH in more than 250 experiments using various cell lines, primary blood cells and tissues that were treated with inflammatory factors such as IL-1, TNF or LPS.

The MWG Inflammatory Array is particularly suited for clinical research. It can be used for the analysis of mouse models of inflammation, especially transgenic animals. In humans it will significantly improve the understanding of inflammatory processes and conditions at the molecular level.

Results from important experiments of the validation process are available to MWG Biotech's customers through the company's new Knowledge Management System. This system gives the customer direct access to validated data like signal intensities and ratios. Customers can search MWG Biotech's extensive data bank for specific results on the inflammatory factors of interest. Following the recent introduction of the hybridization service this new service is a further illustration of MWG Biotech's extensive service commitment way beyond the well established array product portfolio.

The new MWG Inflammatory Array is MWG Biotech's second theme array after the MWG Human Cancer Array in the Company's successful array series. Additional theme arrays are in preparation.

MWG Biotech is the partner of choice for pharma and biotechnology in academia and research. As an international innovator of and enabler for consistently high quality technologies, instruments, products and services the company creates the platform for success in the life sciences today and for a better life tomorrow. Additional information is available at www.THE-MWG.com.