Akonni Biosystems Inc, a life sciences company in Maryland, USA, is the latest company to acquire a Freedom EVO®/REMP SSS Factory, Tecan’s integrated Freedom EVO and REMP Small-Size Store™ (SSS) platform. Akonni Biosystems will rely on the platform for fully automated liquid handling and sample management during manufacturing of its revolutionary TruArray™ microfluidic card-based diagnostic arrays.

“The Freedom EVO/REMP SSS platform is ideal for supporting the production of our array products at a suitably high volume with appropriate quality control,” said Dr Charles Daitch, founder of Akonni Biosystems. “All our samples and reagents can be organized and stored at low temperatures in the REMP SSS using the REMP Tube Technology™, and the integrated system automatically retrieves the required reagents used in our TruArray™ tests, and prepares source plates used for printing these arrays.”

The TruArray™ microfluidic devices consist of arrays containing from 10 to 4,200 gel-drops, each of which behaves as a microscopic test tube that can be tailored to carry out a specific diagnostic biochemical test. The array allows accurate, on-the-spot testing to be performed for diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, anthrax, influenza and SARS. Akonni Biosystems has recently moved to new facilities designed to accommodate its scaled-up production facilities. The grand opening of the laboratory, sponsored in part by Tecan, was held on 16 November 2007.

The Freedom EVO/REMP SSS platform is scientific instrumentation. Not for use in human clinical or diagnostic procedures.

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global supplier of solutions for the biopharma, forensic and diagnostic industries. The company is a leader in the development, production and distribution of advanced automation and detection solutions for the world’s leading life science laboratories. Through its REMP subsidiary (www.remp.com), Tecan is the premier supplier of large-scale automated laboratory storage and logistics systems. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has over 1100 employees, owns production, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2006, Tecan achieved sales of CHF 405.9 million (USD 324.7 million; EUR 258.6 million). Shares of the Tecan Group are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/Valor: 1210019).

For further information please contact:

Tecan Group Ltd.
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www.tecan.com