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Corporate Mission

To be the leading source of genetic technologies to understand and improve life.

Affymetrix is at the forefront of a scientific revolution. The genetic information gathered by scientists today is changing the healthcare of tomorrow by informing both the diagnostic and treatment processes. This information helps us understand disease at the molecular level and allows doctors to customize treatments based on an individual's genetic makeup. One day, genetic-based disease prevention and cures may be possible, and Affymetrix' whole-genome technologies and tools will play a key role in that transformation.

Affymetrix GeneChip® technology combines semiconductor manufacturing techniques with combinatorial chemistry to provide scientists and clinicians with the most comprehensive genetic information possible. Since its founding in 1991, Affymetrix has continued to break new ground. Our tools and services are speeding discovery and leading to better treatments in research labs and in clinical practice. Affymetrix technology is the gold standard in genetic analysis across virtually every life sciences sector.

We strategically partner with leading academic researchers, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, to provide our customers with a complete and seamless solution to address all of their microarray research and analytical needs. Affymetrix' mission is to be the leading source of genetic technologies to better understand and improve the quality of life.

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 M. 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.

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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

True Materials Inc.

Affymetrix acquired True Materials Inc., a privately held San Francisco-based company that has developed a technology capable of multiplexing up to 10,000 markers, in July 2008.

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. The acquisition included Anatrace Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary that provides membrane protein extraction and purification products.

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.

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