Trade News
Basel, 14 October 2002
Roche Diagnostics
and IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. collaborate to develope and commercialize PCR-based veterinary diagnostic
assays
Maine, October 14, 2002 - Roche Applied Science, a business
area of Roche Diagnostics, and IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), the world leader in veterinary
diagnostics, announced today their collaboration to develop and commercialize PCR-based diagnostic assays
for the detection of veterinary pathogens. The tests, which will utilize Roche's patented Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) technology, will afford animal health professionals advanced amplification and
detection capabilities.
The new assays will run on Roche's LightCycler™
system, which is widely used by research institutions worldwide. With its expertise in animal diagnostics,
IDEXX will develop reagents to work with the LightCycler® system. IDEXX will be the exclusive distributor
of products resulting from this collaboration, which have the potential for broad application in the
detection of diseases in herd, companion, and other animals.
"Roche
and IDEXX are leaders in our respective fields and this collaboration enables us to bring the advantage
of the LightCycler® system to the field of animal health services," explained Dr. Susanne Raehs,
Head of Roche Applied Science. "The tests we are developing will automate many of the steps that
practitioners must currently perform manually, enabling much higher productivity."
"By
combining the expertise of the IDEXX and Roche R&D teams we will be able to bring outstanding pathogen
screening products to animal health professionals, said Dr. Quentin Tonelli, Vice President, IDEXX Laboratories.
"Using PCR as backbone of our tests allows for very high sensitivity and for a streamlined system
that delivers test results in record time - 30 minutes versus several hours."
About
Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche
is one of the world's leading research-oriented healthcare groups. The company's two core businesses
in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics provide innovative products and services, that address prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of diseases, thus enhancing people's health and quality of life. Roche's Diagnostics
Division, the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies
a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals
and laboratories world-wide. Roche Applied Science, a business area of Roche Diagnostics, develops and
markets components and reagents for the pharmaceuticals and diagnostics industries, new technologies
for medical research and innovative products for use in biotechnology. For further information, please
visit our websites www.roche.com
and www.roche-diagnostics.com.
About
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a worldwide
leader in the development and commercialization of innovative, technology-based products and services
for animal health. The Company's largest business is focused on companion animal health, combining biotechnology,
medical device technology and information technology to aid veterinarians in providing better medicine
while building successful practices. IDEXX Laboratories is also focused on employing innovative technologies
to monitor production animal health and the safety and quality of drinking water and milk. Headquartered
in Westbrook, Maine, IDEXX Laboratories employs more than 2,100 people and offers products to customers
in more than 50 countries.