Cepheid and the Public Health Agency of Canada to Collaborate on Development of In-Field Nucleic Acid Detection Tests for Category 1 and 2 Biological Agents
Tuesday February 14, 7:00 am ET
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD - News) today announced that it has entered into a collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory to develop in-field nucleic acid assays for Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever viruses utilizing Cepheid's GeneXpert technology. Under the agreement, Cepheid and the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory have been awarded $780,000 Canadian over a 2 year period to develop the assays. The GeneXpert was chosen for this project because of its ability to both process samples and run PCR in a field environment.
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"This program represents a unique opportunity as we execute our strategy to broaden Cepheid's Biothreat test menu. There are only a few labs in the world where these organisms can be handled. We look forward to working with Canada's Public Health Agency National Microbiology Laboratory in moving the program to a successful completion," said John Bishop Cepheid's Chief Executive Officer.
The grants funding this program are coming from the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Research and Technologies Initiative (CRTI) in Canada. CRTI is a Canadian interdepartmental initiative comprised of 14 government science-based and security departments and agencies. Funding allocation for CRTI projects requires that a commercial partner is involved so that the funding results in a product. Cepheid will retain rights to the developed technology along with product distribution rights.
