Helicos BioSciences to demonstrate single molecule sequencing using Helicos Genetic Analysis System

Helicos BioSciences (NASDAQ:HLCS) and it’s collaborators will deliver presentations featured at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) meeting in Marco Island, Florida, from February 24-27, 2010. The presentations demonstrate the unique attributes of single molecule sequencing available for customers using the Helicos® Genetic Analysis System, and highlight the suitability of the technology for answering difficult and previously intractable questions in biology and medicine.

“Unraveling the Complexity of Primary and Metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma Using Helicos Single Molecule Sequencing”

Dr. Timothy Triche, MD, PhD, University of Southern California on behalf of the Children’s Oncology Group will discuss recent collaborative studies undertaken with Helicos in a talk entitled “Unraveling the Complexity of Primary and Metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma Using Helicos Single Molecule Sequencing”. Using a Helicos® Genetic Analysis System, the group performed a comprehensive and quantitative survey of a cancer patient's genome and transcriptome to identify changes responsible for tumor metastasis and drug resistance.

In a talk entitled “A True Unbiased View of Genome Biology: Helicos Single Molecule Sequencing” Patrice Milos, PhD, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, of Helicos will present the technology’s unique ability to perform Direct RNA Sequencing and Direct Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq), providing unbiased quantitation and sequence information. The unparalleled quantitative accuracy of Helicos' direct measurement will be demonstrated relative to 2nd Generation, amplification-based technologies.

In addition, John Thompson, PhD, Helicos’s Senior Director of Genomic Sciences, will give a poster presentation entitled “Single Molecule Sequencing of DNA Invisible to Other Technologies” describing Helicos' unique ability to sequence DNA from samples other technologies can't. These include samples that are highly degraded, contaminated or of very ancient origin.

The Helicos® Genetic Analysis System is the world's first and only commercially available technology capable of True Single Molecule Sequencing (tSMS)^TM. Unlike amplification-based technologies, the Helicos approach is free from the biases and artifacts associated with amplification, and provides a direct view of biological samples, enabling applications that can revolutionize biology, diagnostics and medicine.