GATC Biotech and SoftGenetics announce distribution contract

Constance (February 14th, 2005) - GATC Biotech, a leading provider of custom molecular biology services and bioinformatic software for industry and academy in Europe, extends its product portfolio with the innovative DNA variant analysis software of SoftGenetics, LLC, State College, PA, USA.

GATC now sells and supports the programs Mutation Surveyor™ and Mutation Explorer™ for mutation analysis in DNA sequences, that are distinguished by high accuracy (>99%), high sensitivity (one mutated cell among 16 is detectable) and ease of use (two clicks to get results). SoftGenetics achieves this enhanced performance using their proprietary "anti-correlation" technology allowing a point-to-point physical comparison of DNA sequence traces instead of using base call data, as any other available programms do. Heterozygous insertions / deletions are deconvoluted into two clear traces, while continuing variant detection.

With GeneMarker™, GATC offers a competitive, inexpensive and extremely intuitive software tool for Genotyping applications, such as AFLP or microsatellite analysis.

"SoftGenetics' proprietary technology provides improved sensitivity and accuracy in the analysis that other prevalent programms can not match. Due to the cooperation with a pioneer in the field of user friendly DNA variant analysis software, we can equip our customers with efficient tools to make the best of their data", says Peter Pohl, CEO of GATC Biotech, "Thus, SoftGenetics' products are the perfect complementation of our software portfolio."

John Fosnacht, SoftGenetics' Vice President Marketing & Sales, is pleased with the successful cooperation: "GATC is leading in the field of DNA analysis and experienced in distributing bioinformatic software. GATC's customers are used to products and services of high quality and this makes GATC the ideal partner for us."

For all SoftGenetics products, free and fully functional demo versions are available.

Contact:

GATC Biotech AG
Elke Decker, Senior Director Marketing
Jakob-Stadler-Platz 7
D-78467 Konstanz, Deutschland
Tel: +49-7531-8160-30
Fax:+49-7531-8160-81
eMail: e.decker@gatc-biotech.com
Web: www.gatc-biotech.com

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