Roche Diagnostics Licenses Melting Curve Analysis and SYBR Green Techniques to Takara Bio

Roche Diagnostics (SWX:RO) (SWX:ROG) (Pink Sheets: RHHBY) and Takara Bio (TSE Mothers: 4974), the Shiga (Japan)-based supplier of systems for use in life science research, announced that they have entered into a license agreement for use of the melting curve analysis technology and SYBR Green techniques in their Kits and Instruments for Real Time PCR. Under the terms of the agreement, Takara obtains from Roche a non-exclusive license for use on instruments in Japan, and a license for worldwide use in kits, in the field of research applications. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Covered in the agreement are reagents and or methods using SYBR Green I technology and melting curve analysis for real time PCR. This valuable intellectual property portfolio has been extensively licensed by Roche in cooperation with Idaho Technology, Inc.

"By licensing the PCR technique we contribute to the further development of this technology in the life science research field,” states Manfred Baier, Head of Roche Applied Science, a business area of Roche Diagnostics.

The melting curve analysis is a technique for analysis of PCR products. After PCR, the resulting PCR product is slowly heated. Each double-stranded DNA has its own specific melting temperature (T_m), which is defined as the temperature at which 50% of the DNA becomes single stranded. By measurement of Tm, the DNA can be easily identified.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world’s largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche’s personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients.

In 2008, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 45.6 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com.

About Takara Bio

Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin^® reagent, which is a world-standard in gene therapy protocols.

In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy, and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology.

More information on Takara-Bio is available at www.takara-bio.com.

For life science research only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

SYBR is a registered trademark of Molecular Probes, Inc