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Gen-Probe Broadens Intellectual Property Portfolio Surrounding Automated Nucleic Acid Testing
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
San Diego, CA -- Gen-Probe Incorporated (Nasdaq: GPRO) announced today that it recently has been granted seven additional patents by the U.S. and European patent authorities that extend the Company's intellectual property estate related to automated instrument systems for nucleic acid testing (NAT).
The newly granted patents relate to automated sample preparation and target nucleic acid amplification, as well as closed-tube sampling. The patents complement an extensive portfolio of 65 patents previously granted to Gen-Probe that relate to automated instrument systems for nucleic acid testing.
"These important new patents extend an already strong intellectual property estate surrounding automated instrumentation for molecular diagnostics, and further acknowledge the pioneering work our R&D team has done on behalf of our customers," said Bill Bowen, Gen-Probe's senior vice president and general counsel.
Gen-Probe's TIGRIS system is the first and only integrated, fully automated, high-throughput nucleic acid testing system for clinical diagnostics and blood screening.
Gen-Probe has over 500 active patents worldwide.
U.S. patents can be viewed on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website at www.uspto.gov. Gen-Probe's newly granted patents include U.S. Patent Nos. US 7,482,143 B2, US 7,524,652 B2, US 7,560,255 B2, and US 7,560,256 B2.
European patents can be viewed on the European Patent Office website at: www.epo.org. Gen-Probe's newly granted patents include European Patent Nos. EP 1 614 470 B1, EP 1 623 764 B1, and EP 1 795 263 B1.
About Gen-Probe
Gen-Probe Incorporated is a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of rapid, accurate and cost-effective NATs that are used primarily to diagnose human diseases and screen donated human blood. Gen-Probe has more than 25 years of NAT expertise, and received the 2004 National Medal of Technology, America's highest honor for technological innovation, for developing NAT assays for blood screening. Gen-Probe is headquartered in San Diego and employs approximately 1,200 people. For more information, go to www.gen-probe.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about Gen-Probe's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as believe, will, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan and would. For example, statements concerning Gen-Probe's current and future intellectual property, and ability to obtain new patents are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: (i) the risk that we may not be issued additional patents, (ii) the risk that our intellectual property may be infringed by third parties or invalidated, (iii) our involvement in patent and other intellectual property and commercial litigation could be expensive and could divert management's attention, (iv) we may not be able to develop new products successfully using our intellectual property, and (v) we may not be able to compete effectively. The foregoing describes some, but not all, of the factors that could affect our ability to achieve results described in any forward-looking statements. For additional information about risks and uncertainties we face and a discussion of our financial statements and footnotes, see documents we file with the SEC, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and all subsequent periodic reports. We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.
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