Veredus Laboratories Updates VereFlu(TM) Lab-on-Chip to Specifically Detect the Current Strain of Swine Flu H1N1 in Addition to All Other Human Flu Strains

Singapore - April 29, 2009 - Veredus Laboratories today announced that the current version of VereFluTM is able to detect, from a sequence perspective, the variant strain of H1N1 (swine flu) that is responsible for the Flu outbreak in Mexico and which has caused concern on a global scale. The VereIDTM Biosystem and VereFluTM launched in 2008, built on the STMicroelectronics lab-on-chip platform, is the market’s first test which has integrated two powerful molecular biological applications, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and a microarray, onto a Lab-on-Chip platform. VereFluTM can identify and differentiate human strains of Influenza A (H1, H3, H5, H7, H9) and B viruses, including the Avian Flu strain H5N1, as well as the current Swine Flu H1N1, all in a single test.

VereFluTM is a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need. Unlike existing diagnostic methods, VereFluTM is a breakthrough molecular diagnostic test that can detect infection with high accuracy and sensitivity, within two hours, providing genetic information on the infection that traditionally could take days to weeks to learn. With its high level of automation, users outside the traditional lab environment can easily perform the tests at the point of need. “Within a few days of learning of this new mutation, we have updated our flu panel to include the detection of the new variant strain of H1N1 and expect to have these chips available shortly,” said Rosemary Tan, chief executive officer of Veredus. “Once we’ve verified the efficacy of the tests on human samples over the next few weeks, we expect to be able to deliver a fast, reliable surveillance system that can be deployed globally to help monitor the current influenza situation.”

About Veredus Laboratories Pte Ltd

Founded in 2003, Veredus Laboratories Pte Ltd is a privately held, life sciences company that develops, commercializes and manufactures diagnostic tools that are marketed worldwide. Veredus offers highly sensitive and user-friendly molecular diagnostic tools that include gel based detection kits and VereChipTM that utilizes the latest cutting edge Lab-on-Chip technology. Veredus’ VereChipsTM are driven by VereIDTM Biosystem and has generated much interest since its recent launch. Veredus’ first Lab-on-Chip product was released in 2008 and focuses on the global threat of influenza, called VereFluTM. Another Lab-on-Chip product was released in early 2009, VereThreatTM Chip, which allows for bio-surveillance for the first line of defence in places of need. Veredus has also been well recognized in the industry, receiving multiple awards such Red Herring Asia 100, Red Herring Global 100, Asia Innovation Award (Gold) and BioSpectrum Editor's Choice Emerging MedTech Company of Singapore within the few years of her establishment. For more information, please visit www.vereduslabs.com.