Scanalytics Enters MicroArray Market

(FAIRFAX, VA - April 26, 1999) Scanalytics is pleased to announce that it has signed a license with the NIH to develop and distribute MicroArray Suite software. Microarray techniques enable scientists to analyze the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously. With Scanalytics' new MicroArray Suite, engineered by leading scientists at the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, scientists can perform fully-normalized quantitation of gene expression microarray data in an integrated imaging software environment. Developed as a set of IPLab for Macintosh-compatible extension modules, MicroArray Suite complements Scanalytics' genomics product line.

Features of the MicroArray Suite
Using Scanalytics' MicroArray Suite, scientists can determine differential gene expression levels in their cDNA libraries, compare normal and diseased cells to ascertain new drug targets, discover gene pathways, and develop comprehensive gene databases for specific disease conditions.

MicroArray Suite is comprised of four separate extensions which enable scientists to align and ratio two images of different wavelengths, perform accurate statistical analysis, and identify areas of differential gene expression. MicroArray Suite can analyze both radioactive and fluorescent microarray images.

MicroArray Suite provides a number of algorithms for high-precision microarray image analysis and accurate, fully-normalized quantitation in an integrated software environment. The suite includes [1] LoadSKN, which loads images from the NIH scanner or other scanning instruments [2] AlignArray, which aligns two images in case the images from red and green channels were scanned separately, [3] DeArray, which is the central processing tool controlling most of image processing tasks, including target segmentation, background intensity estimation and probe intensity extraction; and [4] TargetLocator, which reports target information, refines statistics, and performs some image enhancement tasks.

MicroArray Suite has gene databasing capabilities and single dot visualization which details specific intensity information for each individual microarray dot. Also, raw images can remain intact, or a ratio of the raw images can be saved as a separate file.

In addition to the number of features included in MicroArray Suite, this software product is IPLab-based, so it contains all of the features users have come to rely upon for their scientific image acquisition, visualization, and analysis. IPLab can display, process and analyze image data in seven different data types, including four dimensional data (x-y-z-t).

"The release of MicroArray Suite is in line with Scanalytics' goal to commercialize the developments coming out of our customer's laboratories." stated Scanalytics President, Dr. Michael S. Mort.