PositiveIDs ExcitePCR Subsidiary Announces FireflyDX-Portable: A
Lightweight, Bookbag-sized, Realtime Pathogen Detection System,
with Commercial Availability Slated for Summer 2018
Recent market developments inspire ExcitePCR management to
expand its product strategy
to a planned rollout of a FireflyDX family of realtime pathogen
detection systems,
with the FireflyDX-Portable launch scheduled for the summer of
2018
and the FireflyDX-Handheld targeted for availability in 2019
Delray Beach, FL -- August 30, 2017 -- InvestorsHub NewsWire --
PositiveID
Corporations (OTCQB:
PSID) ExcitePCR subsidiary today announced the
FireflyDX-Portable, a rechargeable, bookbag-sized, realtime
pathogen detection system designed to enable first responders,
medical professionals and food safety officials to accurately
obtain on-site results anywhere in the world in less than 30
minutes including sample preparation time.
The FireflyDX-Portable, currently under development, is designed
for use in several multi-billion-dollar industries, markets where
molecular diagnostics are critical to ensure rapid safety and
treatment protocols. Unfortunately, todays existing solutions for
accurately identifying potential pathogens and bio-threats,
especially at the Point-of-Care/Point-of-Need (POC/PON), can
sometimes take as long as several hours to several days to provide
results, dramatically delaying what is often life-saving treatment,
while also increasing costs, both personal and financial. In
addition, most state-of-the-art Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
solutions in use today for pathogen detection typically require a
professionally trained operator working in a pristine laboratory
setting and/or are heavy, bulky and tied to a personal computer to
function properly.
By contrast, ExcitePCRs FireflyDX-Portable will be a standalone,
bookbag-sized, bio-threat detection system that can be operated by
virtually anyone with minimal training yet still produces highly
accurate results. In addition, the FireflyDX-Portable is expected
to deliver such results in under 30 minutes, including sample
preparation (which generally takes the most time in pathogen
detection).
Recent market developments have inspired us to expand our
development efforts onto a new path, one that will require little
if any regulatory oversight initially, yet, we believe, will allow
us to solve the challenges faced by several markets, said Lyle
Probst, President, CEO and founder of ExcitePCR. Thats why were
announcing the FireflyDX-Portable system today, a bookbag-sized,
biohazard detection solution that is expected to be able to be used
anywhere around the world and deliver extremely accurate results in
minutes. In addition, we want our clients and potential partners to
understand that we are continuing forward with our development work
on a truly handheld pathogen detection system, which we now call
the FireflyDX-Handheld, a system we plan to have commercially
available in 2019.
The FireflyDX Family of Realtime Pathogen Detection Systems
Since 2013, ExcitePCRs team has been developing a new type of
biological detection system, one that is lightweight and
rechargeable and it expects
- Can be used in the field by non-professionals and
non-technicians
- Dramatically reduces sample prep time to as little as 10
minutes
- Maintains the highest levels of accuracy found in lab-based
PCR-based solutions
- Does not require the use of a separate personal computing
device
- Can test for the presence of multiple pathogens simultaneously,
and
- Provides highly accurate results in under 30 minutes (including
sample preparation times)
Some of the milestones achieved by ExcitePCR on/with its
FireflyDX technologies during the past four years include
- 2014 co-awardee for the SenseNet I Program from the U.S.
Department of the Interior on behalf of the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology
Directorate
- Signed a U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) agreement
with Special Operations Research, Development, & Acquisition
Center, Science & Technology Directorate (USSOCOM
SORDAC-ST) in 2014
- Completed breadboard* design of the FireflyDX system and began
in-lab testing
Completed
development of single-use, disposable cartridges with pre-programed
RFID chips, with no end-user programing or setup required
- Successfully identified multiple organisms simultaneously on a
FireflyDX breadboard in ExcitePCRs laboratories
- Used a FireflyDX breadboard to successfully identify numerous
organisms at the molecular level, including such targets as
- Anthrax
- C. diff (Clostridium difficile), both Toxin A and B
variants
- Ebola virus
- Genetically Modified food items (aka, GMOs)
- Influenza (multiple strains)
- MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
- MSSA (Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus), and
- Zika virus, among others
ExcitePCR will release additional details about the
FireflyDX-Portable and its FireflyDX advancements in the near
future.
* Breadboard = A reusable, solderless electronic circuit board
prototype.
About PositiveID Corporation
PositiveID Corporation is a holding company focused on life
sciences, diagnostics, mobile laboratories, and medical devices.
PositiveIDs ExcitePCR subsidiary is developing the
FireflyDX family of pathogen detection systems, portable devices
offering rapid sample-to-result detection in less than 30 minutes
using real-time polymerase chain reaction chemistry. PositiveIDs
E-N-G
Mobile Systems subsidiary is a leader in the mobile technology
vehicle market, with a focus on the laboratory market and homeland
security. PositiveIDs Thermomedics subsidiary markets the
FDA-cleared Caregiver non-contact thermometer for clinical use. For
more information on PositiveID, please visit http://www.psidcorp.com, or connect with PositiveID on
Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
On August 24, 2017, PositiveID Corporation and its wholly-owned
subsidiary PositiveID Diagnostics, Inc. (collectively, the Seller),
entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) with ExcitePCR
Corporation. Pursuant to the APA, at closing, the Seller will sell
and deliver to ExcitePCR all assets used in connection with the
operation of the FireflyDX technology. For more information on the
APA, please read PositiveIDs Form 8-K filed on August 28, 2017,
which can be found here.
Statements about PositiveID's future expectations, including the
likelihood that there will be a planned rollout of a FireflyDX
family of realtime pathogen detection systems, including the
FireflyDX-Portable launch that is scheduled for the summer of 2018
and the FireflyDX-Handheld that is targeted for availability in
2019; the likelihood that ExcitePCRs FireflyDX-Portable will be a
standalone, bookbag-sized, bio-threat detection system that can be
operated by virtually anyone with minimal training yet still
produces highly accurate results; the likelihood that the
FireflyDX-Portable is expected to deliver such results in under 30
minutes, including sample preparation; the likelihood that the new
path being pursued by ExcitePCR for FireflyDX will require little
if any regulatory oversight initially, yet, allow it to solve the
challenges faced by several markets; the likelihood that the
FireflyDX-Handheld will be commercially available in 2019; the
likelihood that the new type of biological detection system being
developed by ExcitePCRs team can be used in the field by
non-professionals and non-technicians, dramatically reduces sample
prep time to as little as 10 minutes, maintains the highest levels
of accuracy found in lab-based PCR-based solutions,
does not require the use of a separate personal computing
device, can test for the presence of multiple pathogens
simultaneously, and provides highly accurate results in under 30
minutes (including sample preparation times); the likelihood that
ExcitePCR will release additional details about the
FireflyDX-Portable and FireflyDX advancement in the near future;
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the
Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to
change at any time, and PositiveID's actual results could differ
materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties
include, without limitation, ExcitePCRs ability to complete a
financing of at least $3 million; PositiveIDs and ExcitePCRs
ability to close the asset purchase agreement among PositiveID,
PositiveID Diagnostics, and ExcitePCR; PositiveIDs ability to
attract new customers and partners; PositiveIDs ability to raise
capital; ExcitePCRs ability to complete the development and
commercialization of the FireflyDX-Portable and FireflyDX-Handheld;
as well as other risks. Additional information about these and
other factors that could affect the Company's business is set forth
in the Company's various filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including those set forth in the Company's 10-K filed
on March 31, 2017, and 10-Qs filed on August 14, 2017, May 15,
2017, and November 18, 2016, under the caption "Risk Factors." The
Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions
to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
Contacts:
PositiveID Corporation
Allison Tomek
(561) 805-8044
atomek@psidcorp.com