SAN DIEGO, November 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Gen-Probe
Incorporated (Nasdaq: GPRO) announced today that the Company's
PANTHER(TM) system, a fully automated and integrated molecular
testing system designed with the flexibility to handle a wide range
of testing needs, has been CE-marked and is available for sale in
Europe.
"After three and a half years of active development, launching
our PANTHER system in Europe a
month ahead of schedule is a significant milestone in Gen-Probe's
history and a testament to the scores of talented and dedicated
employees who made it happen," said Carl
Hull, Gen-Probe's president and chief executive officer. "We
believe the PANTHER system will revolutionize molecular diagnostics
by offering customers high levels of productivity and instrument
flexibility that were once reserved for high-throughput clinical
chemistry and immunoassay systems."
Key features of the PANTHER system include:
- Fully integrated "sample-in, result-out" automation. A single operator
can process 275 samples in eight hours on the PANTHER system. Hands-on
time is less than an hour, yielding seven hours of walk-away freedom.
For larger customers, the PANTHER system can continue running
unattended, processing 500 samples in 12 hours.
- Primary tube sampling with random access loading for maximum
flexibility and productivity. Multiple assays can be run from a single
sample, and operators have continuous access to samples, reagents and
consumables.
- A customer-driven design, intuitive software for ease of use, and
remote diagnostics capabilities.
- Extensive process controls that include positive sample identification,
liquid level detection, reagent dispense verification, and radio
frequency identification (RFID) tags on fluid containers.
- A small footprint with a width of 122 cm, a depth of 81.5 cm, and a
height of 175 cm.
In Europe, the PANTHER system
can initially be used to perform Gen-Probe's nucleic acid tests for
the common sexually transmitted infections Chlamydia and gonorrhea.
These include the APTIMA Combo 2(R), APTIMA(R) CT (Chlamydia) and
APTIMA GC (gonorrhea) assays. Several other qualitative and
quantitative assays are in development.
The PANTHER system builds on the success of Gen-Probe's
TIGRIS(R) instrument, which was the first fully automated,
high-throughput molecular testing system for large laboratories.
Since its launch in 2004, more than 500 TIGRIS systems have been
installed at clinical diagnostic and blood screening laboratories
around the world.
The PANTHER system is CE-marked for sale in the European Union,
but has not been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and
is not commercially available in the
United States. For more information on the PANTHER system
and available assays, European laboratories can contact Gen-Probe
customer service in Wiesbaden, Germany, at +49-6122-7076451, or
customerservice@gen-probe.eu.
About Gen-Probe
Gen-Probe Incorporated is a global leader in the development,
manufacture and marketing of rapid, accurate and cost-effective
molecular diagnostic products and services that are used primarily
to diagnose human diseases, screen donated human blood, and ensure
transplant compatibility. Gen-Probe has approximately 27 years of
expertise in nucleic acid testing (NAT), and received the 2004
National Medal of Technology, America's highest honor for
technological innovation, for developing NAT assays for blood
screening. Gen-Probe is headquartered in San Diego and employs approximately 1,300
people. For more information, go to www.gen-probe.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this news release about our expectations,
beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or
performance are forward-looking statements. These statements are
often made through the use of words or phrases such as believe,
will, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan and would. For
example, statements concerning possible or expected results of
operations, regulatory approvals, future sales, growth
opportunities, and plans of management are all forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied. Some of these risks include: (i)
the risk that the PANTHER system will not be cleared for marketing
in the United States; (ii) the
risk that other assays will not be approved for use on the PANTHER
system; (iii) the possibility that the market for the sale of our
PANTHER system or other new products may not develop as expected;
(iv) the risk that our intellectual property surrounding the
PANTHER system will be invalidated; and (v) the risk that we may
not be able to compete effectively. This list includes some, but
not all, of the factors that could affect our ability to achieve
results described in any forward-looking statements. For additional
information about risks and uncertainties we face and a discussion
of our financial statements and footnotes, see documents we file
with the SEC. We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any
duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the
occurrence of subsequent events.
Contact:
Michael Watts
Vice president, investor relations and
corporate communications
+1-858-410-8673