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SpinX Technologies, a privately-held provider of innovative technology to perform bioassays in research and in clinical settings, today
announced that it has expanded its Advisory Board with leading individuals from the life sciences business. The Advisory Board complements
the strengths of SpinX Technologies’ existing Board of Directors, and signals that SpinX Technologies has moved from microfluidics research
to the market, specifically in the field of nanoliter scale liquid handling and assay detection for diagnostics and drug development.
“
We now have two particularly strong Boards to help us position the company for long-term growth and profitability,” commented Bart Van
de Vyver, CEO of SpinX Technologies. “Our prototypes are in the initial direct sales market and are currently being tested in cooperation
with major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The company is ready for the industrial scale development and subsequent market launch
of our product, as well as the expansion with established partners into other markets, such as clinical diagnostics.
”
The Advisory Board illustrates SpinX Technologies’ development from microfluidics research (Philippe Renaud, Andreas Manz; first two members
of the Advisory Board in 2003-2004) through product development and drug discovery market understanding (Al Kolb, Jutta Heim in 2004-2005) to
commercialization. The new expanded Advisory Board will ensure a smooth development of SpinX Technologies from a research-based company to a
commercial sales and marketing operation:
Andrew Carr holds a portfolio of Chairman and Non Executive Director positions with private equity funded life science
companies including Akubio, deltaDOT, Teraview and SciBridge and has built substantial sales and marketing organizations globally for the
life sciences, through his role as CEO of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, both before and after the acquisition by GE of Amersham;
Rajen Dalal, CEO of Aviir, brings his knowledge of the clinical diagnostics and blood banking sector through his
experience as CEO of Chiron Blood Testing; in addition, at Guava Technologies he led an instrument company with products which have both
research and clinical applications;
André Marion, co-founder and previously CEO and Chairman of Applied Biosystems, Inc., has outstanding knowledge and
experience of the manufacturing and servicing of complex instruments in the life sciences sector; in the early years at Applied Biosystems,
André Marion was responsible for all aspects of operations.
SpinX Technologies boasts a Board of Directors composed of leading businessmen, venture capital experts and researchers Sam Eletr (CEO,
Population Genetics), Donald Fitzmaurice (Director, DFJ ePlanet Ventures), Mir Imran (Venture Partner and Senior Advisor, DFJ ePlanet),
Thierry Jean (Chairman and CEO, Cerep), Seppo Mäkinen (Senior Partner, BioFund Management Oy Ltd), Philippe Peltier (Partner, Auriga Partners),
Thomas Willis (VP for DNA Marketing, Affymetrix), Giuseppe Zocco (General Partner, Index Ventures), and Piero Zucchelli (Founder and CSO of
SpinX Technologies).
SpinX has patented and developed the Virtual Laser Valve technology, enabling complex assays to be performed in nanoliter volumes. This
technology brings a level of flexibility to liquid handling previously unavailable in automated systems. SpinX Technologies has built and
operated its first eight instruments, validating enzyme assays for drug discovery. In parallel, SpinX is working on a CTI (Swiss innovation
promotion agency) project with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) to validate membrane receptor assays for drug discovery on the
platform. The company will be building a commercial team over the next few months to prepare for launch. The market for automated liquid
handling and assay detection in the life sciences sector is valued at approximately US$2 billion.
For more information, please contact:
Daničle Letoré-Castle
Tel. +41 22 779 0620
Mob. +41 79 202 6667
E-mail: info@genevensis.com
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