Genometrix: Microarray services online

While companies such as Affymetrix Inc. are vying for a share of the DNA microarray market by selling exportable chip systems to companies and researchers for their own use, Genometrix Inc. believes it can provide the same benefit more quickly and cheaply by conducting microarray experiments in house and providing the data to its customers over the internet.

Genometrix was established in 1993 to commercialize tools for DNA-based diagnostics developed through the Genosensor Consortium, a public-private partnership established through a U.S. Department of Commerce Advanced Technology Program (ATP) award. The company has access to all technology developed by the consortium for all DNA/RNA market applications. Under a 1995 cross-licensing agreement, Beckman Instruments Inc. (Fullerton, Calif.) has access to improvements that Genometrix develops from technologies developed prior to the formation of the consortium...