Financing supported by public funding / former General Manager of Cogenics appointed as CEO
Constance, Germany, April 28, 2010 / b3c newswire / - LifeCodexx AG (www.lifecodexx.com) has started operational research and development work on clinically validated diagnostic tests by using Next Generation Sequencing technologies. The work currently focuses on the field of prenatal diagnostics. LifeCodexx will utilize GATC Biotech’s 20 years of experience as well as its sequencing laboratory, which is the European leader with a total capacity of more than 2 terabases per year.
LifeCodexx AG aims to successfully establish “Next Generation Molecular Diagnostics” in Europe. This will provide improved diagnostics for targeted, cost-efficient treatments. LifeCodexx AG is owned by GATC Biotech AG, which has a majority holding in the company, and other private investors. The test development currently being undertaken also receives public funding, including up to EUR 300,000 from the ZIMSolo and KMU Innovativ funding programs.
LifeCodexx AG has been able to convince a CEO with know-how in this field to join the company - Dr Michael Lutz, former Global General Manager of Cogenics and CEO of Epidauros AG. Dr Lutz has many years of experience in developing and managing innovative biotech companies.
“LifeCodexx AG has a revolutionary concept - to carry out human genetic diagnostic tests based on state of the art sequencing technologies. This will drastically improve cost efficiency in diagnostics. LifeCodexx AG will be a trailblazer here," enthuses Peter Pohl, CEO of GATC Biotech and Chairman of the Board of LifeCodexx AG.
“Our test pipeline in prenatal diagnostics shows encouraging results which we will present in the coming months. I am delighted to be able to apply my experience to these innovative projects,” emphasizes Dr. Michael Lutz, new CEO of LifeCodexx AG.
About GATC Biotech – www.gatc-biotech.com
GATC Biotech is Europe’s leading service provider of DNA sequencing and bioinformatics for industry and academic research. For two decades the company has been developing comprehensive solutions for DNA sequence analysis – for single samples up to whole genome, transcriptome and metagenome projects. With a total of 15 sequencing instruments (ABI 3730xl, Roche GSFLX, Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx and HiSeq 2000) GATC has the largest commercially available sequencing capacity in Europe with two terabases per year. Headquartered in Constance, the company has more than 100 employees and subsidiary companies in Great Britain, France and Sweden. GATC is ISO and Illumina CSPro certified.
About LifeCodexx - www.lifecodexx.com
LifeCodexx AG, a subsidiary of GATC Biotech AG, is an innovative biotech company that focuses on the development of molecular diagnostics based on Next Generation Sequencing technologies. The aim is to establish Next Generation Molecular Diagnostics throughout Europe. LifeCodexx currently develops tests for prenatal diagnostics. The company utilizes the parent company’s 20 years of sequencing experience as well as its laboratories, which is the European leader with a total capacity of more than 2 terabases per year. GATC Biotech holds a majority stake in LifeCodexx AG.
Contact
LifeCodexx AG
Dr. Michael Lutz
Chief Executive Officer
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+49 (0) 7531 81 60 15
Elke Decker
Director Strategic Marketing & Corporate Communication
GATC Biotech AG
Jakob-Stadler-Platz 7
D-78467 Konstanz
Phone: (0) 7531-816030
Fax: (0) 7531-816081
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.