Exhibit 99

    TRANSGENOMIC'S WAVE(R) SYSTEM USED FOR EARLY DETECTION OF DRUG RESISTANCE
                      MUTATIONS IN CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA

            STUDY IN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS RESULTS

    OMAHA, Neb., June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Transgenomic Inc. (Nasdaq:
TBIO) announced today the publication of a study demonstrating the ability of
its WAVE System to enable detection of mutations in the BCR-ABL gene that are
associated with development of resistance to imatinib therapy in Chronic Myeloid
Leukemia (CML) patients. Importantly, in three out of nineteen patients
harboring BCR-ABL mutations, the mutations were detectable 1-2 months from the
onset of therapy only by denaturing HPLC performed with the WAVE system, but
were not detectable by direct DNA sequencing. Since all but four patients with
mutations had sustained hematologic responses to imatinib at the time of
mutation detection, early mutation screening may serve to identify patients at
risk of developing drug resistance.

    Dr. Giovanni Martinelli (Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology,
University of Bologna, Italy) and colleagues described this work in an article
entitled "ABL Mutations in Late Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients
with Up-Front Cytogenetic Resistance to Imatinib are Associated with a Greater
Likelihood of Progression to Blast Crisis and Shorter Survival: A Study by the
GIMEMA Working Party on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia", by Soverini et al, which was
published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on June 20.

    Dr. Martinelli commented on the significance of this body of work and the
role of the WAVE System. "As many as 40% of late chronic phase patients fail to
reach a major cytogenetic response while receiving imatinib therapy. Our results
suggest that within the non-responder population, the presence of BCR-ABL
mutations may identify a subset of patients with a particularly poor prognosis.
In addition, our data suggest that denaturing HPLC performed on the WAVE System
offers a valuable approach for the early detection of mutations likely to lead
to imatinib resistance."

    Collin D'Silva, Transgenomic's CEO, said, "The important work by Dr.
Martinelli's group provides an excellent example of efforts to relate molecular
mechanisms of disease to patient outcomes. We believe our WAVE System addresses
an increasing need for early detection of molecular events that predict clinical
outcomes to facilitate patient-specific disease management. The work of Dr.
Martinelli's group represents a significant step towards realizing this goal."

    About Transgenomic
    Transgenomic is a global company that provides versatile and innovative
products and services to the medical research and pharmaceutical markets.
Transgenomic's WAVE Systems are specifically designed for use in genetic
variation detection. They have broad applicability to genetic research and
molecular diagnostics. The emerging pursuit of personalized medicine is driving
the ongoing need to detect new, uncharacterized mutations and genetic
polymorphisms. The high analytical sensitivity of the WAVE System makes it a
uniquely enabling technology for the advancement of personalized medicine. To
date there have been over one thousand systems installed in over 30 countries
around the world. In addition to the sale of systems and consumables
Transgenomic provides services to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies
in preclinical and clinical development of targeted therapeutics. For more
information about the innovative genomics research tools developed and marketed
by Transgenomic, please visit the company's Web site at www.transgenomic.com.



    Forward-Looking Statement
    Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking
statements" of Transgenomic within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements include, but
are not limited to, those with respect to management's current views and
estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company
performance and financial results. The known risks, uncertainties and other
factors affecting these forward-looking statements are described from time to
time in Transgenomic's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any
change in such factors, risks and uncertainties may cause the actual results,
events and performance to differ materially from those referred to in such
statements. Accordingly, the company claims the protection of the safe harbor
for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 with respect to all statements contained in this press
release. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release
and Transgenomic does not undertake any duty to update this information,
including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.

SOURCE  Transgenomic Inc.
    -0-                             06/20/2005
    /CONTACT:  Mitchell L. Murphy, +1-402-452-5418, mmurphy@transgenomic.com,
or Robert J. Pogulis, Ph.D., +1-845-782-9617, rpogulis@transgenomic.com, both
of Transgenomic Inc.; or Investors, Paul G. Henning of Cameron Associates,
+1-212-554-5462, phenning@cameronassoc.com, for Transgenomic Inc./
    /Web site:  http://www.transgenomic.com /

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