Life Technologies Partners with PathoFinder B.V. to Market Respiratory Pathogen Identification Panels
Kits Available for In Vitro Diagnostics in Countries Regulated by CE IVD Directive
CARLSBAD, Calif. – December 6, 2010 – Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced that it has reached an agreement to market certain respiratory virus and bacterial pathogen identification panels manufactured by PathoFinder B.V., a Dutch molecular diagnostic company focused on developing advanced tests targeted to infectious diseases. The panels will be sold under the Applied Biosystems TrueScience™ RespiFinder® product line for in vitro diagnostic use. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
“Molecular diagnostics tests that have the potential to speed up the detection and identification of respiratory pathogens can make a significant difference in public health,” said Todd Laird, Head of the Fragment and Sequence Genomics Business for Life Technologies. “Our industry-leading capillary electrophoresis systems for sequencing and fragment analysis, like the 3500Dx Series Genetic Analyzers, together with PathoFinder’s assays, can help physicians make better patient care decisions.”
The Truescience™ RespiFinder® 15 and RespiFinder® 19 Pathogen Identification Panels can detect up to 19 of the most common respiratory viruses and bacteria, including influenza virus, respiratory syncitial virus, parainfluenza virus and Bordetella pertussis. These assays allow for a single reaction analysis of up to 19 viral and bacterial pathogens using an easy to perform Fragment Analysis protocol. In as little as seven hours, clinicians can determine if antibiotic or antiviral drugs might be effective in treating an ill patient.
Life Technologies intends to register the product for in vitro diagnostic use in most European countries, as well as in Latin America, the Asia Pacific region, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. In France, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands, PathoFinder or its distributors will continue selling RespiFinder products under the PathoFinder label. The assays will not be available in the US or Canada.
“I am excited about this agreement with Life Technologies,” said Guus Simons, CEO of PathoFinder. “In the last few years, PathoFinder has developed a set of unique multiplex tests for the simultaneous detection of viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory tract infections. The combination of our multiparameter tests and Life Technologies’ high quality capillary electrophoresis systems enables PathoFinder to position our products into the market much more rapidly and to address the need of clinicians for comprehensive diagnostics of respiratory tract infections.”
About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2009, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: www.lifetechnologies.com. Follow Life Technologies on Twitter @LIFECorporation and on Facebook.
About PathoFinder B.V.
PathoFinder is a privately owned nucleic acid diagnostics company founded in 2004 and based in Maastricht, The Netherlands. The company focuses on the development and commercialization of a new generation of molecular diagnostics, with special emphasis on infectious disease. PathoFinder’s proprietary MultiFinder™ technology allows for the detection and differentiation of up to 25 viral and bacterial pathogens in a single assay. These products save time, allow for automation and are cost-effective, and thus address the three major aspects of introducing comprehensive molecular diagnostics in the daily clinical routine. To learn more about PathoFinder’s products and offerings please visit www.pathofinder.com.
Life Technologies’ Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about Life Technologies’ anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies’ plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words “believe,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “target,” “estimate,” “expect” and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions (“will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Life Technologies Contact
Patty Zamora
760-476-7818
patty.zamora@lifetech.com
PathoFinder B.V. Contact
Rob Janssen
+31(0) 43 388 5858
rob.janssen@pathofinder.com
