Hamilton Thorne, Inc. And Blood Cell Storage To Launch Incubator Retrofit Service For The Fertility And Developmental Biology Markets

BEVERLY, MA and TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - January 04, 2017) -

Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: HTL), a leading provider of precision instruments, consumables, software and services, and Blood Cell Storage, Inc. (BCSI), a world leader in pH sensing technologies, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to launch a service to retrofit benchtop incubators and the distribution of BCSI’s SAFE Sens TrakStation® and TrakPod® technology.

Under the terms of the new arrangement, Hamilton Thorne will offer a selection of BCSI pH monitoring solutions and provide retrofit services for incubators installed in the US market. Additional products and services may be added to the agreement over time.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with BCSI, the leader in pH measurement,” said David Wolf, President and CEO of Hamilton Thorne. “This alliance allows us to provide an important quality control solution to our customers, moves us forward in our corporate goal of providing additional products and services to the IVF community and will increase our recurring revenues from follow-on consumables.”

TrakStation and TrakPod are the latest generation of continuous pH monitoring laboratory instruments from BCSI. With the capability of monitoring and logging pH data from one (1) to eight (8) chambers simultaneously, the system provides the lab manager or clinician with assurance of a stable incubator pH environment throughout the five (5) to seven (7) day IVF cycle. In contrast to systems that spot monitor pH, this unique surrogate continuous pH monitoring approach does not require opening and closing of incubator doors, thus allowing an uninterrupted incubation cycle and promoting better outcomes for IVF procedures.

Further, the system requires no expensive calibration or adjustments during the process. One disposable sensor lasts the entire 7-day cycle and is replaced between cycles. A reusable QC alignment tool adjusts the instrument to factory specifications in under ten (10) seconds after each cycle is complete; the QC alignment tool is replaced annually.

“Hamilton Thorne is one of the most trusted suppliers of in vitro fertilization (IVF) products. They provide superior support, marketing and sales to clinics,” said Russ Aldrich, CEO of BCSI. “pH is an important indicator of environmental stability during the IVF process. Having the ability to measure, record and archive pH during a cycle provides the lab staff with extra assurance.”

About Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (www.hamiltonthorne.com)
Hamilton Thorne is a leading world-wide provider of precision instruments, consumables, software and services that reduce cost, increase productivity, improve results and enable breakthroughs in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and developmental biology research markets. Hamilton Thorne’s laser products attach to standard inverted microscopes and operate as micro-surgical devices, enabling a wide array of scientific applications and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedures. Its image analysis systems are designed to bring quality, efficiency and reliability to studies of reproductive cells in the human fertility, animal sciences and reproductive toxicology fields. Hamilton Thorne’s standardized toxicology assays and quality control testing services help to improve outcomes in human IVF clinics. Hamilton Thorne’s growing worldwide customer base consists of pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, fertility clinics, university research centers, animal breeding companies, and other commercial and academic research establishments, including Harvard, MIT, Yale, McGill, Oxford, Cambridge, the Smithsonian Institution, Charles River Labs, Covance, ABS Global, Sexing Technologies, Merck, Cook Medical, Novartis, Pfizer, and Dow Chemical.

About BCSI (www.safesens.com)
Blood Cell Storage Inc. (BCSI), based in Seattle, Washington, is an international laboratory instrument and medical devices company. BCSI’s patented technology and products benefit patients, clinicians, researchers, pathologists and doctors. In addition to IVF monitors, the company’s fluorescent dyes, micro-fluidics, nucleic acid extraction capabilities and automated systems reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.

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Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.