SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid today introduced its GeneXpert(R) Infinity-48 high-throughput system at the 2008 American Association for Clinical Chemistry Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The newest addition to Cepheid’s GeneXpert family of molecular diagnostic testing systems delivers the world’s first and only fully-automated random access system designed for management of the entire molecular testing workflow. After a sample is loaded into a GeneXpert cartridge, the Infinity-48 System does the rest -- sample in, answer out. The Infinity-48 manages the sample data, cartridge loading and unloading and reporting of test results.
“Cepheid’s GeneXpert Infinity-48 System represents the pinnacle of molecular diagnostics automation today,” said Cepheid CEO John Bishop. “With an expanding pipeline of on-demand tests in the Infectious Disease, Oncology, and Genetic Disease markets, the Infinity Series of Systems is positioned to become the platform of choice for high-throughput laboratories.”
Cepheid’s GeneXpert Infinity-48 System uses robotic cartridge handling, managed by Cepheid’s Xpertise(TM) software package and full touch screen driven menu, to run up to 1,300 different molecular tests during any 24-hour period, depending upon test selection. With each of the system’s 48 testing modules managed as an independent testing site, the Infinity-48 System can start test runs anytime samples are collected -- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Delivering true walk away ease-of-use, the Infinity-48 System is positioned to improve workflow while further accelerating time-to-result, enabling healthcare providers to make more informed patient management and treatment decisions.
The Infinity-48 System can be configured with 16, 24, 32, 40, or 48 modules. To handle the current, and future, testing needs of any organization the system can be upgraded with additional modules in blocks of eight.
Cepheid’s Xpertise software integrates with Laboratory Information System (LIS) and Hospital Information System (HIS) networks to provide communication for all incoming and outgoing test orders and results.
Availability
Shipments of the GeneXpert Infinity-48 System are expected to begin in December of 2008.
About the GeneXpert Molecular Diagnostic System
The GeneXpert System is a closed, self-contained, fully-integrated and automated platform that represents a paradigm shift in the automation of molecular analysis, producing accurate results in a timely manner with minimal risk of contamination. The GeneXpert System is the only system to combine on- board sample preparation with real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification and detection functions for fully integrated and automated nucleic acid analysis. The system is designed to purify, concentrate, detect and identify targeted nucleic acid sequences thereby delivering answers directly from unprocessed samples. Modular in design, the GeneXpert System has a variety of configurations to meet the broad range of testing demands of any clinical environment.
About Cepheid
Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Cepheid is an on-demand molecular diagnostics company that develops, manufactures, and markets fully- integrated systems for genetic analysis in the clinical, industrial and biothreat markets. The company’s systems enable rapid, sophisticated genetic testing for organisms and genetic-based diseases by automating otherwise complex manual laboratory procedures. The company’s easy-to-use systems integrate a number of complicated and time-intensive steps, including sample preparation, DNA amplification and detection, which enable the analysis of complex biological samples in its proprietary test cartridges. Through its strong molecular biology capabilities, the company is focusing on those applications where rapid molecular testing is particularly important, such as identifying infectious disease and cancer in the clinical market; food, agricultural, and environmental testing in the industrial market; and identifying bio-terrorism agents in the biothreat market. See http://www.cepheid.com for more information.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not purely historical regarding Cepheid’s or its management’s intentions, beliefs, expectations and strategies for the future, including those relating to product performance, future products and future market opportunities. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from the company’s current expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as those relating to: unforeseen manufacturing problems; regulatory developments and practices regarding testing; customer and market acceptance of the product; our ability to develop and complete clinical trials successfully in a timely manner for new products; uncertainties related to the FDA regulatory and European regulatory processes; the failure of products to perform as expected, whether due to manufacturing errors, defects or otherwise; the impact of competitive products and pricing; potentially lengthy sales cycles in some markets; reimbursement rates for the products; and underlying market conditions worldwide. Readers should also refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Cepheid’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2007 and in its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, each filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
All forward-looking statements and reasons why results might differ included in this release are made as of the date of this press release, based on information currently available to Cepheid, and Cepheid assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement or reasons why results might differ.
CONTACT: Corporate Communications, Jared Tipton, +1-408-400-8377,
jared.tipton@cepheid.com, or Investor Relations, Jacquie Ross,
+1-408-400-8329, jacquie.ross@cepheid.com, both of Cepheid
Web site: http://www.cepheid.com/
