BILLERICA, Mass and SAN DIEGO —— RainDance Technologies, Inc., a genomics tools company simplifying the analysis of complex genetics, today announced the availability of its ThunderBolts™ Cancer Panel, a comprehensive next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS)solution that enables researchers to profile a wide range of tumor samples in fewer than two days for as low as $100 per sample. During this week’s American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, several prominent cancer researchers and collaborators in RainDance’s First Access Program (FAP) will present their latest findings demonstrating the product’s high sensitivity, low starting sample requirements and simple workflow in breast, colorectal, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer studies. These leading researchers will share their data and experience using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel for profiling tumor samples and the RainDrop Digital™ PCR System for follow-up mutation validation.

“With the launch of the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel, RainDance now has a portfolio of research products aimed at elucidating genetic targets for cancer risk predisposition, initial detection, pathology and residual disease,” said Roopom Banerjee, President and CEO of RainDance. “We have assembled an exciting group of thought leaders who are demonstrating what is possible by unlocking genomic information hidden in millions of biopsies and biobanks. Moving forward, this type of research will not only change the way cancer is understood, but ultimately, how it is detected and monitored.”

ThunderBolts Cancer Panel Advantages

The ThunderBolts Cancer Panel targets 50 important and well known cancer genes, including the content found on the Ion Torrent AmpliSeq™ Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 and Illumina TruSeq® Amplicon Cancer Panel products. The panel features a fast, simple workflow that is optimized for Illumina NGS systems and compatible with FFPE samples with as low as 10 ng of starting DNA. The panel runs on the same compact $50,000 RainDrop Source Instrument and consumables as the RainDrop Digital PCR System. Researchers gain rapid, accurate cancer mutation profiles for as low as $100 per sample. For more information on the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel, please visit www.RainDanceTech.com/ThunderBolts.

Prominent First Access Collaborators

Beginning in January 2014, the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel was made available to a select group of high-profile researchers to validate product performance and demonstrate complementary workflow with RainDance’s RainDrop™ Digital PCR System. Researchers are using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel to research common mutations and then validate and track these mutations with the ultra-sensitive RainDrop System. The following key opinion leaders will present their latest performance data at the AACR Meeting during RainDance’s various events:

•Andrew Brooks, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR), who is using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel together with the RainDrop Digital PCR System to analyze fresh-frozen and FFPE colorectal cancer samples. He will present his research data on the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel mutation profile and the complete dPCR validation of BRAF, KRAS and p53 genes.

•Tony Godfrey, Ph.D., Associate Chair for Surgical Research and Associate Professor of Surgery at Boston University School of Medicine, who is using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel together with the RainDrop Digital PCR System to study esophageal adenocarcinoma through circulating tumor DNA. He is using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel to identify common mutations and the RainDrop System to detect the mutations in plasma samples. Dr. Godfrey will present data on use of the Thunderbolts Cancer Panel in frozen tumor samples, comparison of Thunderbolts with AmpliSeq for library construction and sequencing, validation of mutations using RainDrop Digital PCR, and evaluation of rare mutation detection in plasma samples.

•Andrew Rhim, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Assistant Director for Translational Research, University of Michigan Medical School, who is using the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel together with the RainDrop Digital PCR System to perform genetic analysis of pancreatic cysts. He will present data on his use of the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel to research mutations in pre-cancerous cyst fluid that correlate with subsequent cancer development, and then use the RainDrop System for highly sensitive quantitative mutation validation and research of markers to track cancer progression.

•William Fraser Symmans, M.D., Director of Research Operations, MD Anderson Cancer Center, who has begun to use the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel to analyze needle biopsy samples from triple negative breast cancer. He will present initial sequence research results from a broad spectrum analysis of samples.

“RUCDR is the world’s largest university-based biorepository and we are committed to converting our abundance of precious biobanked samples into renewable resources that can be used to advance disease research,” said Dr. Brooks. “The ThunderBolts Cancer Panel is a great example of a solution that enables us to apply the latest NGS technology to these types of samples with high specificity and overall uniformity, all in an extremely fast workflow of two days compared to a week with alternative methods.”

Dr. Rhim added, “The ThunderBolts Cancer Panel enabled us to perform quantitative genetic analysis from as few as 10ng of starting material in a robust and streamlined manner.”

American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2014

RainDance is showcasing its complete line of products for cancer research at the AACR annual meeting in San Diego at booth #820. Three FAP participants will present data during the company’s Exhibitor Spotlight Theater on Tuesday, April 8th at 3:00-4:00pm in Hall A of the Exhibit Floor. In addition, several users will present posters highlighting RainDance product performance and new applications, such as miRNA multiplex analysis with One-Step RT-dPCR. For more information on the company’s AACR activities, please visit: www.RainDanceTech.com/AACR.

Integrated Cancer Research Analysis Portfolio

RainDance Technologies is enabling ground-breaking cancer research with a portfolio of picodroplet-based products for Digital PCR and NGS content enrichment. In addition to the ThunderBolts Cancer Panel and RainDrop Digital PCR System, RainDance also offers the ThunderStorm™ System, a fully automated, high-throughput targeted sequencing solution for researchers looking to process more samples per day and generate higher-quality data rapidly. The ThunderStorm System includes a proprietary and customizable primer design pipeline.

About RainDance Technologies

RainDance Technologies is making complex genetics simple. The company’s ultra-sensitive genomic tools enable better research of novel non-invasive Fluid Biopsy™ applications that should result in more accurate, reliable, cost-effective and early detection of cancer, inherited and infectious diseases. Major research institutions and laboratories around the world rely on RainDance systems’ performance. Based in Billerica, Massachusetts, the company supports customers using RainDrop Digital PCR and ThunderStorm Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Systems through its international sales and service operations as well as a global network of distributors and commercial service providers. For more information, please visit www.RainDanceTech.com.

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The RainDrop Digital PCR System, ThunderBolts Cancer Panel, and ThunderStorm Targeted DNA Sequencing System are for Research Use Only; not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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