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Thursday, 07/27/2006 12:34:05 PM

Thursday, July 27, 2006 12:34:05 PM

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eGene Provides Progress Report on Bird Flu Analysis; Company Describes its System to Reporters at AACC Meeting in Chicago

IRVINE, Calif., Jul 27, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- eGene Inc. ( EGEI ), a leading bioengineering company that has done for DNA analyzers what the desktop did for computers, through its development of a desktop rapid DNA analyzer, today described its progress on potential use in screening bird flu and its automated HLA-SSP genotyping system for news reporters at a meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) meeting in Chicago.

Dr. Ming Liu, chief executive officer of eGene, described the company's analyzer at a press conference "Disease analysis using DNA." In the conference, Liu discussed how eGene's system can screen for genetic matching of bone marrow, as well as the system's use in avian flu and other diseases.

In particular, Liu noted that the company has made great progress in its work on bird flu H5N1 strain detection. "Currently our system can successfully detect as low as 1,000 copies of bird flu viral load. We are developing a simple, fast, highly specific and sensitive bird flu virus detection product with an affordable detection cost for massive screening. The detection cost per test is expected to be a major issue in the prevention of the spread of bird flu. Bird flu detection should be affordable to the massive screening in the countries where there is a real need to halt its spread," said Liu. "Furthermore, recent reports have indicated that the bird flu viral strain may have many new mutations. The speed of research for the development of a bird flu detection kit needed to catch the new mutations becomes very important to help halt the spread of this illness. Our bird flu detection method can allow researchers to develop the new methods to detect new mutations easily and fast."

As a result of this, Liu believes that the company has a clear direction in the bird flu detection area. "We plan to provide fast and affordable bird flu detection and work with the researchers in these countries who are working on means to quickly identify rapid mutations of any possible new strain."

The HDA-GT12(TM) (high-performance DNA analyzer for genotyping on 12 channels) is in use at more than 100 hospitals and research centers worldwide. The system analyzes genetic fingerprinting of living organisms through microsatellites, AFLP and RFLP. It performs fast DNA sample screening and high-resolution DNA fragment analysis (2-5bp). The system also analyzes the quality and quantity of total RNA and cRNA, determines the efficiency of cRNA and cDNA amplification reactions and ensures quality of fragmented cRNA. The company sells cartridges that are specific to the type of analysis to be performed. All data is then received in digital form for appropriate transmission and storage. eGene recently announced that it can successfully identify the DNA of the bird flu virus in as little as five minutes for 12 samples or 50 minutes for 96 samples.

AACC is an international scientific/medical society of clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and other individuals involved with clinical chemistry and clinical laboratory science disciplines. Founded in 1948, the society has 9,500 members and is headquartered in Washington.

eGene Inc. ( www.egeneinc.com) focuses its core technologies of capillary electrophoresis, microfluidics, liquid handling and automation to develop and manufacture low-cost microfluidic, miniaturized digital analyzer systems, software and consumables for biological materials testing applications. These products detect, quantify, identify and characterize DNA and RNA at high rates of specificity and sensitivity, while automating routine and non-routine laboratory and industrial procedures critical to product safety, development quality and productivity.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are made based on management's current expectations and beliefs. Actual results may vary from those currently anticipated based upon a number of factors. The company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revision, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

SOURCE: eGene Inc.

Martin E. Janis & Company Inc. for eGene Inc.
Beverly Jedynak, 312-943-1100, ext. 12
bjedynak@janispr.com


Copyright Business Wire 2006



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