NORTHBROOK, Ill., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanosphere,
Inc., a nanotechnology-based molecular diagnostics
company, today announced that a study of micro- and
nanotechnology patent portfolios has ranked the company
second overall in terms of pipeline power. The report,
prepared by intellectual property consulting firm 1790
Analytics LLC and published in the July/August 2005
issue of Small Times, evaluates companies' portfolio
strength based not only on number of patents issued,
but also such factors as pipeline growth and originality.
Only Hewlett-Packard was ranked higher than Nanosphere,
indicating the exceptional quality of Nanosphere's
intellectual property. Combined with the company's
experienced management team and pressing market demand
for more sensitive, easy-to-use molecular diagnostics
technology, Nanosphere's patent portfolio clearly
differentiates it from other venture-backed life
sciences companies.
Enabled by proprietary nanoparticle technology,
Nanosphere is commercializing its first product,
the Verigene(R) System, to allow the simultaneous
ultra-sensitive detection of nucleic acids and proteins.
It is designed for use by researchers, clinicians
and first responders in any lab setting or in the
field. The unmatched sensitivity of the company's
technology can lead to earlier detection of diseases
such as cancer and cardiovascular disease and the
development of new diagnostic tests for conditions
such as Alzheimer's disease and other neurological
disorders. The technology is also broadly applicable
in pharmacogenomics, biohazard detection and food
safety analysis. Nanosphere holds 34 U.S. patents, 16 of which were issued in 2004, and five
international patents; it has more than 100 patent applications pending. The
company has licensed exclusive rights from Northwestern University to existing
inventions and certain technology developments in the area of nanoparticle
probes for use in molecular diagnostics. William
Moffitt, president and chief executive officer
of Nanosphere, said: "We're
focused on fundamentally altering the way molecular diagnostic testing is performed
and to do that, we've made substantial investments in R&D and scientific
talent. Those investments have resulted in extraordinarily strong IP holdings
for the company and put us in a powerful position to advance detection
of disease-associated proteins and nucleic acids." The 1790 Analytics study considered five indicators, and then arrived at rankings
of overall pipeline power. It looked at the number of U.S. patents issued in
2004 related to micro- and nanotechnology; pipeline growth; impact, as measured
by how frequently patents are cited by later patents; generality, or how useful
a patent is among different fields; and originality. The report concluded Hewlett-Packard has the strongest portfolio, followed
in order by Nanosphere, Agere Systems, Agilent Technologies and Intel. Of the
companies in the top five, only Nanosphere is privately held. About Nanosphere, Inc. Nanosphere is redefining molecular diagnostics with a nanotechnology-based
platform that will enable earlier detection and treatment of disease. The company's
ultra-sensitive protein detection and direct genomic testing technologies permit
the development of new biomarkers and measurement of existing biomarkers at
concentrations undetectable by today's diagnostic technologies. The Verigene(R)
System's simplicity, ease of use and low cost allow customers to perform molecular
diagnostic testing in virtually any setting. Nanosphere is privately-held and
based in Northbrook, Ill. Additional information is available at http://www.nanosphere-inc.com/. Contact:
Ken
Bahk, Ph.D. Jennifer Viera Nanosphere, Inc. Schwartz Communications,
Inc. 847-400-9000 781-684-0770
kbahk@nanosphere.us
nanosphere@schwartz-pr.com
Nanosphere, Inc. Web site: http://www.nanosphere-inc.com/
Source: PRNewswire
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