New Automation Solution for the Genome Sequencer FLX System

BRANFORD, Conn.–454 Life Sciences announced today the launch and immediate availability of the new REM e System, a robotic accessory module for liquid handling systems which enables complete automation of emPCR enrichment in the GS FLX Titanium workflow. The REM e System dramatically simplifies the sequencing workflow by replacing five hours of dedicated manual lab work with an automated walk-away procedure. The module can be readily integrated into most commonly available liquid handling platforms, providing a cost-effective solution to increase sequencing productivity and consistency for all GS FLX Titanium series run formats.

“The introduction of the REM e System increases the overall ease-of-use of the platform”

The new automation solution represents one of a series of recent improvements to streamline the sequencing system’s end-to-end workflow, from sample preparation through data analysis. Late last year, 454 Life Sciences announced the launch of a new GS FLX Titanium Rapid Library Preparation Kit which takes half of the time of previously available kits and requires five to ten times less sample DNA. In addition, a number of recent upgrades to the 454 Sequencing data analysis software suite offer significant ease-of use improvements which are especially beneficial to biologists without extensive bioinformatics expertise. These upgrades include near “push-button” de novo assembly of small to medium sized genomes, straightforward de novo transcriptome assembly with splice variant detection, and the power to assemble human-sized genomes.

“The introduction of the REM e System increases the overall ease-of-use of the platform,” said Christopher McLeod, President and CEO at 454 Life Sciences. “We believe that this means not only offering automation solutions to streamline the front-end sequencing workflow, but also providing highly sophisticated and intuitively-designed analysis tools on the back-end. Our goal is to offer complete sequencing solutions which enable high quality biological discovery and we continue to offer substantial advantages to this end, particularly in the fields of de novo sequencing, amplicon sequencing, full-length transcriptome analysis, and metagenomics.”

For more information on 454 Sequencing Systems and the new REM e System, visit www.454.com.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche (SWX:RO)(SWX:ROG)(Pink Sheets:RHHBY) is one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world’s biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2008 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 36.0 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.7 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested nearly 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2008. Worldwide, the Group employs about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com.

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