SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 1997--Nanogen Inc. Tuesday
announced that it has been awarded a U.S. patent covering key areas
of its Automated Programmable Electronic Matrix (APEX) Technology.
U.S. Patent No. 5,605,662, titled ``Active Programmable
Electronic Devices for Molecular Biological Analysis and Diagnostics,''
is the third U.S. patent issued to the company within the past 10
months.
``This patent provides Nanogen with significant proprietary
protection on our electronic microchip array technology,'' said
Howard C. Birndorf, chairman and chief executive officer of Nanogen.
The patent, which expires on Feb. 25, 2017, was issued to
co-inventors Michael J. Heller, Ph.D., chief technical officer and a
co-founder of Nanogen, and Eugene Tu, research scientist. Patent
applications on this invention have also been filed internationally.
All rights to the patents have been assigned to Nanogen.
``Our invention encompasses self-addressable microelectronic
devices which can actively carry out and control multiplex reactions
in microscopic formats,'' said Heller.
``We are actively developing a series of products embodying this
technology which will have applicability in a variety of areas,
including the early detection and diagnosis of disease, genetic
screening, molecular oncology, blood typing and screening, and
biological research, as well as a number of other potential
applications,'' added Tu.
Nanogen is a privately held company focused on the development of
a broad-based diagnostic platform, which combines molecular genetics,
microelectronics, lasers and nanotechnology. The company currently
employs 60 people at its corporate headquarters in San Diego.
--30--DB/la* TJM/la
CONTACT:
Nanogen Inc., San Diego
Harry J. Leonhardt, 619/546-7700
To edit your profile, go to keyword NewsProfiles.
For all of today's news, go to keyword News.