<p>There's been plenty of great press you might even say hype about IBM's "DNA transistor," a new type of gene sequencing technology that had come out of the company's labs. In 2009 Wired said the device "could revolutionize" genetic testing. Two years later IBM itself picked the device as its "smartest new innovation" for a series published by The Atlantic. It wasn't just the media that got excited. In 2010 Roche, the Swiss drug giant, signed a deal to help commercialize the technology.</p><p>This morning, Roche bailed, announcing that it was ending the IBM collaboration as part of reorganization of its DNA data business that will also result in the loss of 170 jobs in Penzberg, Germany and Connecticut. The DNA transistor, it announced, was not worth pursuing "due to high technical risks involved." IBM hasn't responded to my requests, by email and phone, for more information about the device.</p><p>How, in three years, did a tiny device go from deserving sparkling encomiums to getting dropped like a rock? Here. Four reasons, which also serve as lessons for thinking about biological innovation.</p><p>There Really Is A First-Mover Advantage. When Roche and IBM entered into their deal, there was already a company that was dramatically pushing down the cost of DNA sequencing and that had the bulk of the market for the new technology: Illumina, of San Diego.</p><p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2013/04/23/four-lessons-from-ibm-and-roches-failed-dna-collaboration/">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/roche-dissolves-applied-science-unit-as-it-ends-ibm-alliance.html">Roche Dissolves Applied Science Unit as It Ends IBM Alliance</a> (Bloomberg)</p><p><a href="http://wraltechwire.com/roche-terminates-genome-sequencing-platform-deal-with-ibm/12369949/">Roche terminates genome sequencing platform deal with IBM</a> (WRAL Tech Wire)</p><p><a href="http://frenchtribune.com/teneur/1317606-roche-holding-ag-dissolve-its-applied-science-unit-and-ends-ibm-alliance">Roche Holding AG to Dissolve its Applied Science Unit and Ends IBM Alliance</a> (French Tribune)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dKY0ikGEPzaqnOMCOoyg-3fXxOIJM&ned=us">10 additional articles.</a></p>