Largest custom DNA supplier now licensed to sell dual-labeled probes and primer-probe mixes for use in real-time PCR research applications.

CORALVILLE, IA – October 16, 2008, Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., (IDT) announced today that it has obtained from Applied Biosystems Inc., of Foster City, CA (ABI), a license to sell dual-labeled probes for use in the 5’ Nuclease process – the industry-leading technique for real-time PCR. The license to IDT is the first in Applied Biosystems’ new Probe Manufacturing License Program.

The license to IDT includes rights under several probe composition and methods patents, as well as U.S. Patent No. 5,804,375 (the ‘375 patent) to make and sell custom dual-labeled probes and primers mixed in “assay-ready” formats. The license to the composition and methods patents permits customers to purchase probes from IDT that are licensed for use in the 5’ Nuclease Assay. Currently, researchers purchase probes and primers in separate tubes, and often from separate vendors that disclaim any licensed right of the customer to use the probes in the 5’ Nuclease Assay. The license to the ‘375 patent will make it possible for IDT to offer design services for probes and primers for use in the Assay, and to supply researchers with the resulting probes and primers in a more convenient, ready-to-use format.

“IDT is honored to be the first licensee under Applied Biosystems’ Probe Manufacturing License program” commented Roman Terrill, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at IDT. He continued, “We pursued this license so that our customers could continue to purchase probes from IDT and use them in the world’s gold standard assay for real-time PCR. The agreement also opens new markets for our existing probe products, and opens doors for IDT to develop new products, which we hope to launch in the near future.”

Applied Biosystems’ Probe Manufacturing License Program grants licensees rights to make and sell custom oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide sets for use in the 5’ Nuclease process under patents owned by both Applied Biosystems and F. Hoffman La Roche, Ltd., (Roche). The license allows sales to researchers and to existing commercial licensees under Applied Biosystems’ Kit and Commercial Services licensing programs.