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“We are very pleased to have been selected as a genotyping service provider for this forward-looking project,” said David Hartshorne, commercial director for Orchid BioSciences Europe. “Our experience of accurately and cost-effectively genotyping hundreds of thousands of sheep for the U.K. National Scrapie Plan ensures that we have the expertise and resources to be a major service provider for this new Irish initiative.” Orchid Europe, which markets several of its services under the Cellmark brand, was selected as a genotyping provider for the NGP by the Irish government following a rigorous review process, which included detailed appraisals, the submission of test samples and a site inspection. Its commercial genotyping services will be available to the 45,000 flock owners throughout Ireland. Test results showing the relative resistance of individual animals to scrapie will be accepted by the Irish Department of Agriculture and Food as the basis for official certification of each sheep’s genotype. Official NGP Certificates are expected to become increasingly important in the Irish sheep industry, as this certification will form the basis for genotype-informed decision making in relation to sheep breeding and trading. Scrapie, one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, is an untreatable, fatal disease that affects sheep worldwide. Scrapie has the potential to cause significant economic losses to farmers through the loss of infected animals and by affecting confidence in the safety of the food supply. Scientists have discovered a number of genetic variations that affect an individual sheep’s susceptibility to scrapie. Over time farmers expect to produce flocks with greatly reduced vulnerability to the condition by selecting those sheep with a low genetic susceptibility to scrapie as breeding stock. As a pioneer in helping to implement the U.K. Government’s National Scrapie Plan, Orchid Europe has extensive experience working with sheep farmers to genotype flocks for genetic susceptibility to scrapie and is the exclusive provider of scrapie genotyping for the Northern Ireland government. It is one of three laboratories now certified to conduct genotyping for the Irish NGP.
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act as amended, including statements regarding the fact that immigration related genetic testing is a rapidly growing global market. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, but not limited to, uncertainties relating to technologies, product development, manufacturing, market acceptance, cost and pricing of Orchid products and services, dependence on collaborations and partners, regulatory approvals, competition, intellectual property of others, patent protection, litigation, Orchid’s ability to obtain additional financing and Orchid’s listing on the Nasdaq National Market. These risks and other additional factors affecting Orchid’s business are discussed under the headings "Risks Related to Our Business," "Risks Related to the Biotechnology Industry" and "Risks Associated with Our Common Stock" in Orchid’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, and Orchid’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and the prospectus contained therein dated June 6, 2003, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings made by Orchid with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Orchid expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Orchid’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, except as may be required by law.
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