Companies to develop ChIP-on-Chip kits to enhance protein research

BILLERICA, Mass. & SANTA CLARA, Calif.–Millipore Corporation (NYSE: MIL – News) and Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A – News) today announced they have formed a collaboration to develop innovative ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) kits for the fast-growing epigenetics research market. The kits will be designed to improve protein researchers’ productivity and simplify the way they study genetic information.

ChIP is a technique that helps researchers understand the relationship between DNA and the proteins that impact gene regulation. The collaboration will combine Millipore’s expertise in antibodies, ChIP kits and reagents with Agilent’s leading position in microarrays and data analysis solutions.

“This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to improve scientific workflows for epigenetic researchers,” said Geoffrey Crouse, Vice President of Millipore’s Life Science Strategic Business Unit. “Our long history of leadership in the ChIP market coupled with Agilent’s leadership in DNA microarrays will enable us to help scientists push the frontiers of epigenetic research. We expect to help epigenetics researchers minimize the barriers of entry into chromatin state mapping, readily obtain reproducible genomic profiling data, and overcome the traditional challenges of ChIP assays.”

“We are very pleased to be working with Millipore to provide an end-to-end solution for studying the complexities of DNA-protein interactions and binding,” said Yvonne Linney, Ph.D., Agilent vice president and general manager, Genomics. “Our two companies are solidly positioned to fuel discoveries in this rapidly growing field.”

Millipore is the premier provider of ChIP kits and reagents for epigenetics and chromatin remodeling for the research marketplace. Millipore supplies more than 1,300 immunological reagents to assist researchers in studying the role of epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and gene regulation by transcription factors; DNA methylation; and regulatory RNAs.

Agilent pioneered ChIP-on-chip technology by introducing the first microarray-based solution in 2005, having acquired Computational Biology Corporation founded by professors David Gifford and Richard Young at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

About Millipore

Millipore (NYSE: MIL – News) is a Life Science leader providing cutting-edge technologies, tools, and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As a strategic partner, we collaborate with customers to confront the world’s challenging human health issues. From research to development to production, our scientific expertise and innovative solutions help customers tackle their most complex problems and achieve their goals. Millipore Corporation is an S&P 500 company with 6,000 employees in 47 countries worldwide. For more information, please contact Millipore Tech Service at 1-800-548-7853 or 951-676-8080 or visit www.millipore.com.

About Agilent in Genomics

Agilent is a leading worldwide provider of microarray-based, genomics research solutions. Agilent’s end-to-end solution includes reagents for sample preparation and microarray processing; hardware for sample QC and high-throughput microarray scanning; 60-mer oligo microarrays on industry-standard 1” x 3” glass slides for gene expression; comparative genomic hybridization, microRNA, splice variants and chromatin immunoprecipitation applications; custom microarray design services; and industry-leading GeneSpring software products for data analysis.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A – News) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company’s 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.4 billion in fiscal 2007. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

Millipore Forward Looking Statement

The matters discussed herein, as well as in future oral and written statements by management of Millipore Corporation that are forward-looking statements, are based on current management expectations that involve substantial risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements.

Potential risks and uncertainties that could affect Millipore’s future operating results with respect to the foregoing include, without limitation, failure to develop products acceptable to the epigenetics market, failure to achieve design wins into our pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers’ processes and procedures; delay, suspension or termination of a customer’s volume production; lack of availability of raw materials or component products on a timely basis; regulatory delay in the approval of new therapeutics; limitations on cash flow for operations and investment due to increased debt service obligations; the inability to establish and maintain necessary product and process quality levels; the inability to realize the expected benefits of the Agilent collaboration; competitive factors such as alternative disposable systems; the inability to utilize technology in current or planned products due to overriding rights by third parties; conditions in the economy in general and in the bioscience and bioprocess markets in particular; foreign exchange fluctuations; reduced private and government research funding; and exposure to product liability claims. Please refer to our filings with the SEC, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, for more information on these and other risks that could cause actual results to differ.