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About Affymetrix
企業のミッション
生命の理解を深め、人々の生活を向上させるための最先端の遺伝子テクノロジーを提供する
アフィメトリクス GeneChip®マイクロアレイテクノロジーは、複雑な遺伝子情報を分析するスタンダードツールとして利用されてきました。マイクロアレイテクノロジーが1980年代後半に開発されて以来、アフィメトリクスの研究者たちは、ゲノムの完全像を提供する画期的な製品の開発に取り組んでいます。
これらの製品によって遺伝子研究は加速を続けており、複雑な疾患に関連する遺伝子情報の識別と計測によって、患者ひとりひとりに合った診断・治療を開発できるようになっています。
アフィメトリクスは科学革命の最前線にいます。 今日研究者たちが集めている遺伝子情報は、実際の診断・治療プロセスに生命を吹き込み、明日の医療を大きく変えます。遺伝子情報によって病気を分子レベルで理解し、個人個人の遺伝子構成に基づいて医師が治療をカスタマイズすることができるのです。いつの日か、遺伝子に基づいた病気予防や治療が可能になるかもしれません。アフィメトリクスの全ゲノムテクノロジー＆ツールは、その変革に重要な役割を果たすでしょう。
アフィメトリクスGeneChip®テクノロジーは、半導体製造技術とコンビナトリアルケミストリーを組み合わせ、可能な限り最も総合的な遺伝子情報を研究者や医師に提供するものです。 1991年の設立以来、アフィメトリクスは常に新天地を開いてきました。研究者の研究や医師の医療現場において、当社のツールとサービスにより発見が迅速化され、よりよい治療を生み出すことができるようになります。アフィメトリクステクノロジーは、事実上あらゆるライフサイエンスの分野において、遺伝子解析のゴールドスタンダードとなっています。
トップクラスの大学研究者や製薬会社・バイオテクノロジー企業と戦略的に提携することにより、マイクロアレイを用いた研究と解析ニーズのすべてに取り組み、お客様に完全かつシームレスなソリューションをお届けしています。生命の理解を深め、生活の質を向上させるための最先端の遺伝子テクノロジーを提供し続けること。それがアフィメトリクスの使命です。
Stephen P.A. Fodor, Ph.D.
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Fodor and colleagues were the first to develop and describe microarray technologies and combinatorial chemistry synthesis. He spearheaded the development of Affymetrix' groundbreaking chip technology in 1989 at the Affymax Research Institute. In 1993, he co-founded Affymetrix to commercialize the high-density arrays. Together with the techniques Dr. Fodor and his group developed to read these arrays, these technologies have played an important role in basic and clinical research, discovery and mapping of the human genome and other commercial applications. Dr. Fodor has received numerous honors and awards. In 1992, Dr. Fodor and colleagues were recognized by the AAAS by receiving the Newcomb-Cleveland Award for an outstanding paper published in Science. He also received the Intellectual Property Owner's Distinguished Inventor of the Year Award, The Economist Innovation Award for Nanotechnology and the Association for Laboratory Automation Achievement Award. He serves on the Board of Directors for Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in addition to being the Chairman of the Board for Perlegen, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute of Washington. Read Dr. Fodor's extended biography.
Kevin King
President
Mr. King brings more than 25 years of industry experience to his current position of President. He is responsible for developing and implementing the company's long-term growth strategy and maintaining its leading position in the genetic analysis market. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Thomson Healthcare, the $500-million healthcare and pharmaceutical information services division of Thomson Corporation. Mr. King also held senior executive positions at General Electric Healthcare, including Vice President and General Manager, Global Clinical Systems. He also brings more than 14 years experience from Hewlett-Packard. Mr. King received his masters of business administration from New Hampshire College.
John C. Batty
Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Batty brings more than 25 years of corporate finance, strategic planning and management experience to Affymetrix. Prior to his appointment at Affymetrix, Mr. Batty served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Credence Systems, a leading provider of test solutions for the worldwide semiconductor industry. Prior to Credence, Mr. Batty served as the Chief Operating Officer of Network Equipment Technologies, a global provider of networking technology platforms. Mr. Batty received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of New Hampshire and a masters of business administration degree from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business.
Corporate History
First Microarray Prototype
Affymetrix' GeneChip® technology was invented in the late 1980's by a team of scientists led by Stephen P.A. Fodor, Ph.D. The theory behind their work was revolutionary - a notion that semiconductor manufacturing techniques could be united with advances in combinatorial chemistry to build vast amounts of biological data on a small glass chip. This technology became the basis of a new company, Affymetrix, formed as a division of Affymax, N.V. in 1991. Affymetrix began operating independently in 1992. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the Company completed its initial public offering in June 1996.
The Company commenced commercial sales of the GeneChip® system for research use in 1994, and currently sells its products directly to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostic and consumer products companies, as well as academic, government, and other non-profit research institutes.
Corporate Overview
Affymetrix is a pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are driving the genomic revolution. By applying the principles of semiconductor technology to the life sciences, Affymetrix develops and commercializes systems that enable scientists to improve quality of life.
The Company's customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics, and consumer products companies, as well as, academic, government, and other non-profit research institutes. Affymetrix offers an expanding portfolio of integrated products and services, including its integrated GeneChip® platform, to address growing markets focused on understanding the relationship between genes and human health. Affymetrix has about 1,100 employees worldwide.
Acquisitions
USB Corporation
Affymetrix acquired USB Corporation, a privately held Cleveland, Ohio-based company that provides an extensive line of molecular biology and biochemical reagent products, in December 2007.
ParAllele BioScience Inc.
Affymetrix acquired ParAllele BioScience, a privately held provider of highly-scalable technology for comprehensive genetic studies, in October 2005.
Neomorphic, Inc.
Affymetrix acquired Neomorphic, a privately held computational genomics company, in October 2000.
Genetic MicroSystems, Inc.
Affymetrix acquired Genetic MicroSystems, a privately held Massachusetts instrumentation company specializing in DNA array technology, in February 2000.
Patents
Affymetrix has a variety of U.S. patents issued. To see a current list, please visit the Affymetrix Licensing Program page.