--Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:VIVO) announced today it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This Phase I Grant will help fund research to develop highly specific recombinant antibodies to Clostridium difficile toxins A&B and then use these unique antibodies to develop rapid, inexpensive and sensitive diagnostics. Meridian will continue to pursue additional grant projects to improve rapid disease detection. In keeping with this goal, Meridian Bioscience has submitted an SBIR Phase I proposal to the Small Business Biodefense Program to develop reagents and test methods to detect toxins produced by pathogenic E. coli strains like E. coli O157:H7. These toxin producing E. coli strains are included in category B of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Biodefense Research Agenda as agents likely to be used in a bioweapon assault. Meridian is also investigating new diagnostic tests for West Nile Virus and Norovirus, both widespread and dangerous pathogens that are classified as category B potential bioweapon agents.
