Stanbio Laboratory Files Cross-Complaint In Superior Court Alleging Distortion Campaign By HemoCue

BOERNE, Texas, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanbio Laboratory, L.P., a leader in medical testing and diagnostic devices, has filed a cross-complaint alleging that its competitor, HemoCue, Inc., is engaged in unfair business practices and interference with Stanbio’s business. The cross-complaint was filed Thursday, April 6, 2006 in the Superior Court of California, in Orange County.

According to the Stanbio cross-complaint, HemoCue has been telling customers and potential customers of Stanbio’s hemoglobin meters and microcuvettes, that Stanbio is legally barred from selling those products as a result of a recent patent decision by a German court.

“That simply is not the case,” said Micheal Lake, patent counsel for EKF Diagnostics, a party in the German case. “Stanbio is legally free to continue selling its hemoglobin meters and microcuvettes notwithstanding that decision. In fact, Stanbio was not even a party to that case and the German court’s ruling has no legal effect on Stanbio in the United States.”

Headquartered in Boerne, Texas, Stanbio manufactures and sells medical testing and diagnostic devices including clinical chemistry, pregnancy, drugs of abuse, serology, urinalysis, and point-of-care blood hemoglobin tests.

“This is a true case of David vs. Goliath. HemoCue, and its Swedish parent, HemoCue AB, are using their much greater size and resources to try and marginalize our business,” said William Pippin, chief executive officer of Stanbio. “The lengths to which some companies will go to try to keep competitors out of the market and keep prices at artificially high levels is truly shocking.”

The Stanbio cross-complaint is now a part of the public record and copies can be obtained by calling Amy Goldsmith, public relations consultant for Stanbio, at (310) 440-0646.

Since its founding in 1960, Stanbio has provided laboratories with high-quality, clinical diagnostic reagents, clinical instruments, and a wide variety of diagnostic products, which include pregnancy, drugs of abuse, serology, urinalysis, and microbiology assays. Stanbio also offers OEM and private labeling capabilities. Currently, Stanbio distributes products in over 70 countries worldwide. This year the company celebrates its 46th year in business. To find out more about Stanbio, review its news, or learn more about its products, visit www.stanbio.com.

Stanbio Laboratory, L.P.

CONTACT: Amy Goldsmith, +1-310-440-0646, agoldsmith@gkcommunications.net,or Sara Shiffman, +1-310-271-2432, sshiffman@gkcommunications.net, both ofGK Communications, for Stanbio Laboratory, L.P.

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