Helicos BioSciences Announces the Sale of a Helicos® Genetic Analysis System to the Turku Centre for Biotechnology

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Helicos BioSciences Corporation (NASDAQ: HLCS), today announced the sale of a Helicos® Genetic Analysis System to the Turku Centre for Biotechnology in Turku, Finland. The center, led by Dr. Riitta Lahesmaa, is a joint facility of the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University.

"We are very excited by our acquisition of a Helicos System, as it will allow us to perform novel experiments using single molecule sequencing technology." said Riitta Lahesmaa, Director of the center.

"We are delighted to have the Turku Center as a customer. Their scientists appreciate the unique benefits of having single molecule analysis capability and we look forward to their efforts in generating breakthrough discoveries using Helicos technology." stated Ron Lowy, Helicos Chief Executive Officer.

The Turku Center sale represents the 10th sale of a HeliScope™ Single Molecule Sequencer.

To date, 12 Helicos Systems are installed and operating at customer sites at key national and international institutions with an additional, previously announced purchased system, waiting for site preparations to be completed.

"We began 2009 with one Helicos System installed at a customer site. By placing an average of one system per month during 2009, culminating with our latest order from Turku, we have achieved a solid customer base using our technology. We believe that these systems, as well as new systems from additional sales, will generate important scientific data that will lead to new and unique applications, and, ultimately, revolutionary scientific breakthroughs." said Lowy.

The Helicos Genetic Analysis System is the world's first and only commercially available, single molecule sequencing technology, and enables scientists to conduct revolutionary studies in the fields of genome biology, cancer research, common diseases, and microbiology without DNA ligation or amplification. Genetic analysis with Helicos' technology eliminates the biases, complexity and errors introduced by DNA amplification, requires minute amounts of starting material, is amenable to the analysis of degraded nucleic acids, and provides the most direct and accurate view of biological samples.

About Helicos BioSciences:

Helicos BioSciences is a life science company focused on innovative genetic analysis technologies for the research, drug discovery, and diagnostic markets. Helicos' proprietary True Single Molecule Sequencing, tSMS™, technology allows direct measurement of billions of strands of DNA enabling scientists to perform experiments and ask questions never before possible. Helicos is a recipient of two $1,000 genome grants and committed to providing scientists the tools to unlock the era of genomic medicine. The company's corporate headquarters are located at One Kendall Square, Building 700, Cambridge, MA 02139, and its telephone number is (617) 264-1800. For more information, please visit www.helicosbio.com.

About the Turku Centre for Biotechnology:

Turku Centre for Biotechnology was established in 1989 and is an institute of University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The Centre facilitates biotechnology and biomedical research and scientific interactions between research groups across departments and within the two universities, and provides technical expertise and coordinating services for academic and industrial projects in several central areas of biotechnology. Many of the key instruments have been installed at the Centre to create "core facilities" for biotechnical research. The Centre has also provided a forum for active interactions between academia and industry. Such interactions have resulted in a number of biotech companies, which are based on scientific discoveries in academia. www.btk.fi.

Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, the Company's expectations regarding future sales and adoption of the Helicos® Genetic Analysis System and technology, the generation of unique applications and scientific breakthroughs from Helicos' products and technology, and management's plans, objectives and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Helicos' control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, among other things, our ability to successfully complete and/or scale the manufacturing and commercialization process for the Helicos® Genetic Analysis System; our history of operating losses and ability to achieve profitability; our ability to sustain and scale our manufacturing capabilities; the research and development spending levels of academic, clinical and governmental research institutions and pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agriculture companies who may purchase our Helicos® Genetic Analysis System; our reliance on third-party suppliers; competition; changing technology and customer requirements; our ability to operate in an emerging market; market acceptance of our technology; the length of our sales and implementation cycles; our dependence on large contracts for the sale and implementation of our Helicos® Genetic Analysis System; failure of our technology and products; our ability to maintain customer relationships and contracts; ethical, legal and social concerns surrounding the use of genetic information; our ability to retain our personnel and hire additional skilled personnel; our ability to manage our growth while operating with limited resources; our ability to control our operating expenses; general economic and business conditions; our ability to obtain capital when desired on favorable terms; and the volatility of the market price of our common stock. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Helicos undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by Helicos, see the disclosure contained in Helicos' public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations:
Helicos BioSciences Corporation
Susan Shepard, 617-264-1850