Shafallah Center Purchases Illumina(R) BeadLab for New Genomics Facility in Doha, Qatar; Illumina Technology Platform Enables Large-Scale Disease Association Studies.

SAN DIEGO -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced today that it has installed a genotyping BeadLab in the Genetics Facility at the Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs in Doha, Qatar. The BeadLab will anchor the first phase of the Shafallah Center's transformation into a world-class center of research excellence, integrating child-centered capabilities that range from genomics and disease discovery to existing strengths in clinical treatment, special education and related paramedical services.

The Shafallah Genetics Medical Center (SGMC) will have extensive and unique access to samples from founder populations indigenous to the Arabian Gulf Region (see note). These samples have well-documented family histories that may accelerate the understanding of the genetic basis of disease - not only those affecting children, but also those that are common to all population and age groups.

The research focus will include rare autosomal recessive diseases, of which many are unique or first-discovered in the Gulf, as well as complex diseases such as diabetes, the prevalence of which in the Gulf is among the worlds' highest. All diseases explored at the new facility will involve the collection and analysis of clinical and genetic as well as pedigree data.

The BeadLab is an end-to-end genetic analysis solution built around Illumina's proprietary BeadArray(TM) technology and featuring extensive automation, parallel sample throughput, multiplexed assay protocols, positive sample tracking, allele-calling software, low running cost per sample and industry-leading performance. The SGMC plans initially to conduct genome-wide disease association studies using Illumina's Sentrix(R) HumanHap BeadChips, which are designed to genotype between 100,000 and 550,000 SNP loci per sample on a single microarray.

"We're tremendously honored to be a part of this important new research facility - the first of its kind in the Gulf region," stated Jay Flatley, Illumina President and CEO. "As employees of Illumina, we're proud to be associated with the important research targeting children at the Shafallah Center and the hope for accelerated discovery of disease-causing genes. We look forward to supporting the Shafallah Center in building a world-class disease research operation."

About Shafallah Center

The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs (www.shafallah.org.qa) was established at the behest of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Misnad, Consort of His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, with the intent of providing comprehensive services for need-based Qatari children. The Center is a non-profit, private institution and it is chaired by Hassan Ali Bin Ali. Among outreach activities of the Shafallah Center is a pioneering, Annual International Forum on children with special needs. Information about the 2006 Forum can be found at http://www.shafallah.org.qa/shafallahforum.htm.

About Illumina

Illumina (www.illumina.com) develops and markets next-generation tools for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function. The Company's proprietary BeadArray technology -- used in leading genomics centers around the world -- provides the throughput, cost effectiveness and flexibility necessary 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 by correlating genetic variation and gene function with particular disease states, enhancing drug discovery, allowing diseases to be detected earlier and more specifically, and permitting better choices of drugs for individual patients.

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 - including HumanHap BeadChips -- 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.

Editor's Note

Founder populations are modern groups descended from a few individuals who long ago may have left one area and settled somewhere else, and who have not married significantly outside that population. Besides the Gulf region, founder populations are found in Iceland, Quebec and Utah among other areas. Family histories, including disease, are often well-documented in Founder Populations, providing a potential shortcut in the search for disease-causing genes and pathways.

The SGMC was unveiled to the world this week as part of the First Annual International Forum on Children with Special Needs, held on May 8 and 9 in Doha, Qatar.