LexaGene Completes First Stage of U.S. ARMY DEVCOM Agreement
October 29 2021 - 7:45AM
LexaGene Holdings, Inc., (OTCQB: LXXGF; TSX-V: LXG)
(“LexaGene” or the “Company”), a molecular diagnostics company
that has commercialized an instrument for automated multiplex PCR
testing, today announced it has successfully detected anthrax
spores on the MiQLab™ System.
Previously, LexaGene announced it had entered
into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with
U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development
Command (DEVCOM).
Dr. Jack Regan, CEO and Founder of LexaGene
stated, “We are now progressing to the second stage of the Army
CRADA, during which the MiQLab’s sensitivity and quantitative
ability for biothreat detection will be tested at the Army’s DEVCOM
Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
Due to the Army’s facility and personnel availability, these
studies are planned to begin during the week of November 15th, and
we will ship multiple systems to the Army for this start date.”
Spores are particularly concerning for biothreat
detection, as stated by Basta and Annamaraju, “B. anthracis is
a gram-positive spore-forming bacteria that are commonly found in
the soil of endemic areas. It is one of the most common agents
used in biological warfare. Many factors make B.
anthracis a good bioweapon. Its endospores can be placed into food,
water, powder, and sprays, spreading the anthrax infection without
anyone's knowledge, as endospores are microscopic, cannot be
tasted or felt. In 2001, anthrax spores were used as a bioweapon in
the U.S. They were distributed into letters delivered by the United
States Postal system spreading anthrax infection among 22 mail
handlers and customers. Anthrax bioterrorism attacks can take
several other forms. B. anthracis endospores can be
released into food and water, sprayed from the air or high
buildings, or even carried on clothes or shoes. B.
anthracis endospores can cast a high risk of misuse and pose
severe threats to public safety and health.”1
Dr. Manoj Nair, Director Applications &
Assay Development at LexaGene commented, “For the first stage of
the Army CRADA, DEVCOM sent LexaGene inactivated anthrax spores, so
we could internally determine whether LexaGene’s MiQLab can
successfully detect them. In contrast to actively growing cells, a
spore is the most dormant stage of a bacterium. They are formed in
response to harsh conditions so they can survive until conditions
improve. Spores have very thick walls that are hard to break,
making detecting the genetic material inside the spore difficult.
Only very high-quality sample preparation procedures can
successfully break open spore walls and allow for the genetic
material inside to be detected by PCR especially when the spores
are present at low concentrations. I’m pleased to report the
MiQLab’s sample preparation is robust enough to successfully detect
the anthrax spores from the delivered samples.”
To learn more about LexaGene and the MiQLab
System or subscribe to company updates, visit www.lexagene.com, or
follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
On Behalf of the Board of
DirectorsDr. Jack ReganChief
Executive Officer & Chairman
About LexaGene Holdings
Inc.LexaGene is a molecular diagnostics company that
develops molecular diagnostic systems for pathogen detection and
genetic testing for other molecular markers for on-site rapid
testing in veterinary diagnostics, food safety and for use in
open-access markets such as clinical research, agricultural
testing, and biodefense. End-users simply need to collect a sample,
load it onto the instrument with a sample preparation cartridge,
enter sample ID and press ‘go’. The MiQLab™ system delivers
excellent sensitivity, specificity, and breadth of detection and
can return results in approximately two hours. The unique
open-access feature is designed for custom testing so that
end-users can load their own real-time PCR assays onto the
instrument to target any genetic target of interest.
The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way
passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither
approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
This news release contains forward-looking
information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially
from current expectation. Important factors -- including the
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success of technology development efforts, the cost to procure
critical parts, performance of the instrument, market acceptance of
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cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
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The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the
extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556071/
Corporate & Media Contact:
Gail Winslow
Director of Corporate Marketing
gwinslow@lexagene.com
978.482.6237
ir@lexagene.com
800.215.1824
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Vice President
LaVoieHealthScience
schoe@lavoiehealthscience.com
(857) 241-7393
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