|
Mannheim, January 26, 2001
Roche Diagnostics grants ALTANA worldwide access to PCR
Roche Diagnostics and Altana AG have signed an agreement granting
a non-exclusive licence for worldwide access to PCR (polymerase
chain reaction) patents.
Altana is thereby entitled to market PCR based in vitro human diagnostic
products in the molecular diagnostic fields.
"The agreement with Altana shows that Roche is making strides
in establishing PCR worldwide as the gold standard in diagnostics",
stated Heino von Prondzynski, Head of Roche Diagnostics Division.
The PCR licence program of Roche forms the basis for standardization
of all molecular diagnostics.
PCR is widely used especially in medical applications of molecular
biology, for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, genetic diseases,
as well as cancer and other illnesses. Moreover, PCR was and continues
to be the enabling technology in genetics and genomics.
Early identification of etiologic agents has only become possible
with PCR. For example, the smallest amounts of genetic material
can be multiplied and thousands of millions of copies simultaneously
produced within a short time. This greatly simplifies the identification
of genetically related DNA or RNA sequences.
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s
leading research-oriented healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals,
diagnostics and vitamins. Roche’s innovative products and services
address needs for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease,
thus enhancing people’s well-being and quality of life. Roche
has approximately 63,900 employees and sells its products in over
170 countries. The Roche Group posted sales of 20.3 billion Swiss
francs in the first nine months of 2000. In the first half of 2000
the company’s net income amounted to 3 billion Swiss francs.
It invested 1.9 billion Swiss francs in research and development.
Through the company’s Diagnostics Division, innovative testing
products and services are made available to physicians, patients,
hospitals and laboratories worldwide.
ALTANA AG is an international pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals
group with more than 8,500 employees worldwide. Its pharmaceuticals
group Byk Gulden (Constance, Germany) concentrates on the business
areas Therapeutics, Diagnostics and Self-medication. It conducts
innovative pharmaceuticals research (gastrointestinal, respiratory,
oncology). Byk Gulden represents a group of 30 subsidiaries and
participations in Europe, the Americas and Asia.
For more information please contact:
Monika Laubner-Knapstein
Roche Diagnostics
Communications & PR
Phone: +49 621 759 – 4966
Fax: +49 621 759 – 2902
monika.laubner-knapstein@roche.com
|
