USC purchases WaferGen SmartChip system for Molecular Pathways and Drug Discovery center

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: WGBS), a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced that the University of Southern California (USC) has purchased the WaferGen SmartChip system for its USC Center for Molecular Pathways and Drug Discovery to discover and validate biomarkers for pancreatic and colorectal cancer applications to expedite the development of a cancer therapy.  USC purchased a solution that includes the SmartChip platform and validated gene panels for biomarker profiling.

"Our work is to identify genes and pathways that are associated with cancer," said Michael Kahn, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Provost's professor of medicine and pharmacy and co-leader of the USC GI-Oncology program. "We are also attempting to validate molecular signatures based on a large number of patient samples rapidly and cost effectively to enable more targeted clinical trials. We will use the SmartChip system to help us accomplish our goal."

"The goal of our Center is to combine basic science and clinical science to develop new drug therapies and rapidly translate them into the clinic.  We will use the SmartChip system to speed our programs to pick drug pathways -- the most effective drug targets -- changing the cancer treatment paradigm and resulting in therapies that will advance the treatment of cancer," said Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., F.A.C.P., professor of medicine and preventive medicine, associate director of clinical research at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Kathryn Balakrishnan Chair for Cancer Research and co-leader of the USC GI-Oncology program.

Alnoor Shivji, chairman and CEO, WaferGen commented, "The unique pathways-approach developed by the USC Center for Molecular Pathways and Drug Discovery has the potential to make a dramatic difference in how cancer is treated.  We are very excited to be part of this approach and believe that the SmartChip system, with its PCR sensitivity combined with its speed and cost advantages, will help enable researchers to focus on the most likely drug candidates and patient populations by providing efficient and effective biomarker measurement to guide them."