Two Firms Join to Develop Quick Flu Test

The companies hope to have the test available for the next flu season in the fall of 2006. The In-Check platform is a complete laboratory-on-a-chip. It allows users to accurately and reliably perform the processing and analysis of a minute sample on a single disposable chip, and also reduces the risk of cross-contamination. The results are detected by a portable reader using optical signal acquisition and processed by ST's bioinformatics software.

"The World Health Organization recently identified rapid detection as the first requirement in fighting avian flu, and ST's leading-edge semiconductor expertise--combined with Veredus' expertise in avian flu detection--will enable new possibilities for effective timely detection and treatment so that early containment of the infection will be possible,” said Anton Hofmeister, group vice-president and general manager for ST's microfluidic division.

"We are actively developing chips to detect dengue fever, malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis, and other diseases and anticipate that our products will greatly improve treatment choices,” added Dr. Rosemary Tan, CEO of Veredus.




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STMicroelectronics
Veredus Laboratories