Xceed Molecular Launches Strategic Collaborator Program; Signs Center for Molecular Medicine as its Inaugural Partner

Xceed Molecular, a pioneer in the development of cost-effective, easy-to-use gene-expression analysis systems, announced that the company has launched its Strategic Collaborator program and signed its first member, the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Specific terms were not disclosed.

According to Xceed’s President and CEO, David Deems, the Strategic Collaborator program is a mutually beneficial agreement with a high-profile institution or investigator designed to propel the partners’ clinical research, while providing Xceed with additional real-world clinical-laboratory experience and access to critical research results. The program is an integral part of the company’s strategy to add assays to its pipeline of condition- or pathway-specific Signature Chips that will be available both as catalog products and through Xceed’s Expression Services. Through the program, Xceed will provide the Ziplex^® System or Expression Services to the collaborator at no or low cost in return for a commitment for future publication, access to biomarker content, or assistance with product development or services.

“The Center for Molecular Medicine, under the leadership of Daniel H. Farkas, PhD, HCLD, is an ideal partner for Xceed,” said Deems. “Dr. Farkas and his team will undertake a number of projects as part of our agreement, including the investigation and development of cancer diagnostics and improved sample-preparation methods.” Internationally renowned for his work in molecular diagnostics, Dr. Farkas joined the CMM as Executive Director in December 2006. His peers voted him the recipient of the Association for Molecular Pathology Leadership Award winner for 2007.

Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. Farkas said, "We are very pleased to be supporting Xceed's efforts to bring its clinical laboratory-friendly Ziplex System to the marketplace. The intersection of patient care and business represented by our international collaboration is central to the mission of the Center for Molecular Medicine. As a CLIA-certified, CAPaccredited laboratory, the CMM will provide Xceed the opportunity to bring new array-based tests to the clinical community. The ease of use and initial data generated by the Ziplex System have been impressive. As translational medicine moves from the research laboratory to the clinic, technology that is affordable, reliable, and automated will be critical. We believe the Ziplex System is uniquely positioned to fulfill this need. The resulting benefit to patients is an excellent example of how genomic medicine will move forward in the 21st century."

Xceed has already committed to several other institutions under its Strategic Collaborator program and will be installing the Ziplex System at additional sites before year-end. The company’s goal is to have 10 Strategic Collaborator agreements in North America by the second quarter of 2008.