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September 6, 2007
IME, Inc. and Somagen Diagnostics Inc. Enter Into
Exclusive Strategic Distribution Relationship--
Somagen Diagnostics Will Distribute the
QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System
to Canadian Hospitals and Reference Laboratories
IME, Inc. (IME) and Somagen Diagnostics Inc. (Somagen) today jointly announced that they have entered into an exclusive strategic distribution relationship for the Canadian market. Somagen will distribute IME’s revolutionary QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System to Canadian hospitals and reference testing laboratories.
The QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System represents a leap forward technologically in the area of urine culture testing. The relatively low cost system is a self-contained, broad spectrum microbe test that objectively determines the presence or non-presence of log phase (infectious) bacteria by light spectrophotometry and automated computer-driven analysis. Advantages over current testing methods include the ability to distinguish between log phase (infectious) bacteria and lag phase (non-infectious) bacteria, as well as major reductions in specimen culturing time, results reporting time, false positives, gross contaminations and required labor by test operators. Additionally, this new testing system provides for improved scientific methodology, including the testing of a larger more representative sample sizes, simultaneous dual channel test outputs and increased protection from contamination. The automatic computer display and recording of test results can be linked to a hospital’s primary data system.
The QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System will be sold to Canadian hospitals and reference laboratories on an exclusive basis by Somagen’s renowned sales staff. Somagen’s sales team covers all ten provinces in Canada, and members of the sales team have the technical expertise required to introduce the QuikiCult System to hospitals smoothly and efficiently.
“We are very excited about the potential of the QuikiCult System in the Canadian Healthcare market. The unique technology and approach of QuikiCult positions it well to become the market standard for UTI testing here”, commented Kevin Blackburn, President of Somagen. “Our team has excelled in positioning strong new technologies that offer unique solutions for Canadian laboratories. Strategically the QuikiCult System fits very well in our plans for 2008 and beyond”.
“The QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System will provide better care for patients as well as cost savings and operating efficiencies for hospitals and laboratories,” commented Peter Rising, President of IME. “We wanted a sophisticated distribution partner for the QuikiCult System, and were instantly attracted to Somagen’s dedicated, highly technical sales team. We believe the Somagen team is the perfect group to provide the QuikiCult System to hospitals and reference laboratories across Canada.”
ABOUT IME, INC.
IME, Inc. is a privately-held corporation based in Eldersburg, Maryland. Formed in 1981, IME’s initial focus was the development and sale of customized, private labeled water testing equipment for numerous industrial companies and government agencies. IME has developed a substantial number of new inventions, including the IME Test™ reagent ampoule system in 1992. The IME Test provided operators of cooling towers with a rapid measurement field tester that warns of impending “out of control” conditions. In 2002, IME began work on adapting the IME Test for microbiological applications, which lead to the development of the QuikiCult Rapid UTI Detection System. IME is the majority owner of MicroBionetics, LLC, which is marketing and selling the QuikiCult technology in the United States and abroad. Additional information about the technology can be found at www.microbionetics.com.
ABOUT SOMAGEN DIAGNOSTICS INC.
Somagen Diagnostics is Canada’s premier distributor of clinical laboratory products. Over the past 20 years Somagen has partnered with the top names in laboratory manufacturing around the world to bring their unique technologies to the Canadian market. Somagen has over 60 staff across Canada supporting hospitals and labs in every Province and Territory.
Press Contacts:
IME, Inc.
Henry Ginsberg (416) 821-5446 henry113@rogers.com
Somagen Diagnostics
Kevin Blackburn (800) 661-9993 blackburn@somagen.com
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