Affymetrix
{{Short description|American biotech company}}
{{Redirect|Affy|the confectionery|Affy Tapple|the school|Affies}}
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{{Update|with = description of how Affymetric products continue under Thermo Fisher as a brand | date = March 2020}}
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{{Infobox company
| name = Affymetrix, Inc.
| logo = Affymetrix_logo.svg
| type = Subsidiary
| traded_as =
| foundation = 1992
| location_city =
| location_country =
| location = Santa Clara, California, U.S.
| locations = 11
| key_people = Stephen Fodor, Frank Witney {{small|(CEO)}}
| area_served =
| industry = Biotechnology
| products =
| services =
| revenue = {{profit}} US$327 Million (FY 2009)[https://web.archive.org/web/20100117033424/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Affymetrix_(AFFX)/Data/Income_Statement Affymetrix (AFFX) annual SEC income statement filing via Wikinvest]
| operating_income = {{loss}} US$-30.6 Million (FY 2009)
| net_income = {{loss}} US$-23.9 Million (FY 2009)
| assets = {{decrease}} US$612 Million (FY 2009)[https://web.archive.org/web/20100117033415/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Affymetrix_(AFFX)/Data/Balance_Sheet Affymetrix (AFFX) annual SEC balance sheet filing via Wikinvest]
| equity = {{decrease}} US$288 Million (FY 2009)
| parent = Thermo Fisher Scientific
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/microarray-analysis.html
| dissolved =
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
Affymetrix is now Applied Biosystems, a brand of DNA microarray products sold by Thermo Fisher Scientific that originated with an American biotechnology research and development and manufacturing company of the same name.{{Cite web |title=Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire Affymetrix |url=http://news.agropages.com/News/Detail-16778.htm |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Grainews |language=en}} The Santa Clara, California-based Affymetrix, Inc. now a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific was co-founded by Alex Zaffaroni and Stephen Fodor. Stephen Fodor and his group, based on their earlier development of methods to fabricate DNA microarrays using semiconductor manufacturing techniques.{{cite web|title=Affymetrix and Illumina Settle Their Patent Disputes|url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/affymetrix-and-illumina-settle-their-patent-disputes|website=fiercebiotech.com|date=10 January 2008 |access-date=2022-01-12}}{{cite web|title=Stephen Fodor, Jami Nachtsheim|url=https://www.genomeweb.com/resources/people-news/stephen-fodor-jami-nachtsheim|website=genomeweb.com|date=30 January 2015 |access-date=2022-01-12}}
In 1994, the company's first product under the "GeneChip" Affymetrix trademark, an HIV genotyping chip was introduced,{{cite web|title=Affymetrix and bioMérieux Extend Their Agreement on GeneChip® Technology to Breast Cancer Diagnostics|url=https://www.biomerieux.com/en/affymetrix-and-biomerieux-extend-their-agreement-genechip-technology-breast-cancer-diagnostics|website=biomerieux.com|access-date=2022-01-12}} and the company went public in 1996.{{cite web|title=AFFX Meaning AFFX Stock Meaning|url=https://acronym.io/affx-meaning-stock-nasdaq/|website=acronym.io|access-date=2022-01-12}}
After incorporation, Affymetrix grew in part by acquiring technologies from other companies, including Genetic MicroSystems (slide-based Microarrays and scanners){{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and Neomorphic (for bioinformatics) in 2000,{{cite news|title=Affymetrix to Acquire Neomorphic In a Deal Valued at $70 Million|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB970435376347349540|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=2 October 2000 |access-date=2022-01-14}} ParAllele Bioscience (custom SNP genotyping),{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} USB/Anatrace (biochemical reagents) in 2008,{{cite web|title=Affymetrix Sells Anatrace Unit to Investment Firm StoneCalibre|url=https://www.genomeweb.com/microarrays-multiplexing/affymetrix-sells-anatrace-unit-investment-firm-stonecalibre|website=genomeweb.com|date=15 October 2013 |access-date=2022-01-28}} Panomics (low to mid-plex applications) in 2008,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and eBioscience (flow cytometry) in 2012.{{cite web|title=Affymetrix Completes eBioscience Acquisition|url=https://www.genomeweb.com/arrays/affymetrix-completes-ebioscience-acquisition|website=genomeweb.com|date=26 June 2012 |access-date=2022-02-02}} Affymetrix spun off Perlegen Sciences in 2000,{{cite web|title=Perlegen Signs Its First Big Pharma Deal with GlaxoSmithKline, Finishes Fifty Genomes |url=https://www.genomeweb.com/arrays/perlegen-signs-its-first-big-pharma-deal-glaxosmithkline-finishes-fifty-genomes|website=genomeweb.com|date=27 September 2002 |access-date=2022-02-02}}{{cite web|title=National Library of Medicine |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/probe/docs/distrperlegen|access-date=2024-09-19}} as a discrete business focusing on wafer-scale genomics to characterize population-variance of genomic markers.{{cite web|title=A Guide to HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase and Protease Sequencing for Drug Resistance Studies|url=https://hivdb.stanford.edu/pages/pdf/sequencingGuide.pdf|website=hivdb.stanford.edu|access-date=2022-02-09}}
In January 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved Affymetrix's postnatal blood test, CytoScan Dx Assay, looking at whole-genome correlates of congenital abnormalities and other causes of childhood developmental delay.{{cite web|title=FDA OKs Postnatal Blood Test for Intellectual Disabilities|url=https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819387|website=medscape.com|access-date=2022-02-09}}
On January 8, 2016, Thermo Fisher Scientific announced its acquisition of Affymetrix for approximately $1.3 billion,{{Cite news|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/thermo-fisher-scientific-to-buy-affymetrix-in-1-3-billion-cash-deal-1452295718|title = Thermo Fisher Scientific to Buy Affymetrix in $1.3 Billion Cash Deal|last = Armental|first = Maria|date = 8 January 2016|work = The Wall Street Journal|access-date = 14 January 2016}} which closed on March 31, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://ir.thermofisher.com/investors/news-and-events/news-releases/news-release-details/2016/Thermo-Fisher-Scientific-Completes-Acquisition-of-Affymetrix-Following-Approval-of-Transaction-by-Affymetrix-Stockholders/default.aspx|title=Thermo Fisher Scientific Completes Acquisition of Affymetrix Following Approval of Transaction by Affymetrix Stockholders|website=ir.thermofisher.com}}
History
Affymetrix, Inc. was spun-off from Affymax Research Institute by Alex Zaffaroni in 1993, and was eventually based in Santa Clara, California, United States.{{cite web |url= http://www.dnaftb.org/36/bio-4.html |title= Stephen P. A. Fodor (1953-) |publisher= DNA from the beginning |access-date= January 6, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305053529/http://dnaftb.org/36/bio-4.html |archive-date= March 5, 2016}} It began as a unit in Affymax N.V. in 1991 under Fodor and his group.{{cite web |url= https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.affymetrix_inc.ccf2e9d4a503fa366cff9ea04adf401b.html |title= Affymetrix, Inc. |publisher= Dun & Bradstreet |access-date= January 6, 2022 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20220106231756/https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.affymetrix_inc.ccf2e9d4a503fa366cff9ea04adf401b.html |archive-date= January 6, 2022}} In the late 1980s, that group had developed methods for fabricating DNA microarrays, under the "GeneChip" Affymetrix trademark, using semiconductor manufacturing techniques.{{citation needed|date = March 2020}} The company's first product, an HIV genotyping GeneChip, was introduced in 1994{{citation needed|date = March 2020}} and the company went public in 1996.{{cite web |url= https://sec.report/CIK/0000913077 |title= Affymetrix Inc: SEC CIK #0000913077 |publisher= SEC Report |access-date= January 6, 2022}}
Acquisitions
Prior to its acquisition by Thermo Fisher, and its becoming a line of its products, Affymetrix, Inc. had acquired the technologies of a number of companies. It acquired Genetic MicroSystems for slide-based microarrays and scanners and Neomorphic for bioinformatics, both in 2000,{{cite web|url=http://www.bioresearchonline.com/article.mvc/Affymetrix-Acquires-Genetic-MicroSystems-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO|title=Affymetrix Acquires Genetic MicroSystems|date=1999-09-14|publisher=Bioresearch Online|access-date=2009-03-12}}{{cite web
|url = http://investor.affymetrix.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=116408&p=irol-newsArticle_pf&ID=120125&highlight=
|title = Affymetrix Announces Definitive Merger Agreement With Neomorphic, Inc.
|date = October 2000
|access-date = 2009-03-12
|publisher = Affymetrix
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130116152958/http://investor.affymetrix.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=116408&p=irol-newsArticle_pf&ID=120125&highlight=
|archive-date = 2013-01-16
|url-status = dead
}} ParAllele Bioscience for custom SNP genotyping,{{when|date = March 2020}}{{citation needed|date = March 2020}} USB/Anatrace for biochemical reagents in 2008,{{verification needed|date = March 2020}}{{cite web
|url = http://www.usbweb.com/assets/USB_Affymetrix_FAQs.pdf
|title = Affymetrix Acquisition of USB — Frequently Asked Questions
|date = 2008-01-31
|access-date = 2009-03-12
|publisher = Affymetrix
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717175237/http://www.usbweb.com/assets/USB_Affymetrix_FAQs.pdf
|archive-date = 2011-07-17
|url-status = dead
}} eBioscience for flow cytometry in 2012,{{verification needed|date = March 2020}}{{cite web
|url = http://investor.affymetrix.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=116408&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1691613
|title = Affymetrix and eBioscience Amend Definitive Merger Agreement
|date = May 2012
|access-date = 2015-01-24
|publisher = Affymetrix
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20150125013539/http://investor.affymetrix.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=116408&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1691613
|archive-date = 2015-01-25
|url-status = dead
}} and Panomics in 2008{{verification needed|date = March 2020}}{{cite web
| url=http://www.panomics.com/downloads/Panomics_Affy.pdf
| title=Affymetrix to acquire Panomics
| date=2008-11-11
| access-date=2009-03-12
| publisher=Affymetrix
}} and True Materials{{when|date = March 2020}} to expand its offering of low to mid-plex applications.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/24/idUS53969+24-Aug-2012+BW20120824 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924170338/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/24/idUS53969+24-Aug-2012+BW20120824 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |url-status=dead | title=Affymetrix and Singapore-based Start-up PathGEN Dx Sign Partnership for Diagnostic Test Development for Pathogen Detection| work=Reuters| date=2012-08-24}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/singapore/story/singapore-scientists-develop-chip-can-identify-70000-virus |title=Singapore scientists develop chip that can identify 70,000 viruses |access-date=2013-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103115628/http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/singapore/story/singapore-scientists-develop-chip-can-identify-70000-virus |archive-date=2014-01-03 |url-status=dead }} In 2000, Perlegen Sciences spun out from Affymetrix to focus on wafer-scale genomics for massive data creation and collection required for characterizing population variance of genomic markers and expression for the drug discovery process.{{citation needed | date = March 2020}}
FDA test approval
In January 2014, the Food and Drug Administration cleared a first-of-a-kind whole-genome postnatal blood test that can aid physicians in identifying the underlying genetic cause of developmental delay, intellectual disability, congenital anomalies, or dysmorphic features in children, where it was noted that "[a]bout 2 to 3 percent of U.S. children have some sort of intellectual disability, according to the National Institutes of Health."{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/17/fda-oks-mental-disability-blood-test-for-infants/|title=FDA OKs Mental Disability Blood Test for Infants|via=Washington Times|date=January 17, 2014|author=Matthew Perrone}} The test, known as CytoScan Dx Assay, was designed to diagnose these disabilities earlier to expedite appropriate care and support.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web | url = http://www.affymetrix.com/corporate/history/index.affx| title = Affymetrix—Corporate History| access-date = 2006-11-20| publisher = Affymetrix |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061107074021/http://www.affymetrix.com/corporate/history/index.affx |archive-date = 2006-11-07}} Detailed, multi-document resource on the originating company's history, from its perspective, featuring a detailed timeline of acquisitions, photographs of early technology, etc.
{{Authority control}}
Category:Thermo Fisher Scientific
Category:Research support companies
Category:Biotechnology companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Santa Clara, California
Category:Biotechnology companies established in 1992
Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Category:Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area