"Since our founding in 2006, Navigenics has blazed a pioneering trail in bringing genomics to the everyday reality of physicians, patients, and health plans," said Dr Vance Vanier, president and chief executive officer of Navigenics. "Life Technologies' entry into the clinical diagnostics market, coupled with the scope of their clinical vision, signals that personalized medicine is no longer a distant future promise, but today's reality. We are thrilled to be at the center of their powerful initiative, which will improve countless lives."

"Complex diseases like cancer require physicians to receive and interpret data from the genome, transcriptome and proteome. Life Technologies is the only company in the industry today with the breadth of technology to span the full continuum of diagnostic information necessary to effectively manage such diseases," said Mr Gregory T Lucier, chairman and chief executive officer of Life Technologies. "The Navigenics informatics platform allows us to now transform the data from our instrument systems into actionable information and deliver it in real time to physicians around the world."

As Life Technologies expands its molecular diagnostics business, its philosophical focus on clinically relevant, medically endorsed applications aligns with that of Navigenics. In compliance with existing policies and informed consent, all customer information will be protected and handled according to regulatory guidelines, in alignment with Navigenics' founding principle of protecting the privacy and security of its customers' genetic information. The Navigenics Health Compass set of genetic analysis services will honor existing commitments but not take in new business.