HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 1997--Gamma Biologicals Inc. (AMEX: GBL) announced today that the U.S. Patent Office has awarded Patent No. 5,665,558, "Method and Apparatus Useful for Detecting Bloodgroup Antigens and Antibodies", the first patent related to the Gamma-ReACT(TM) Test System. Gamma has applied for other patents covering the antigen/antibody adherence testing procedure and other aspects of this micro-column gel technology designed for the rapid and labor-saving detection of red blood cell antibodies.
"We're pleased that the U.S. Patent Office recognizes the value of Gamma's ReACT technology. This adherence test method differs from and offers a patentable advance over the agglutination process used by competitors," reported David E. Hatcher, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our domestic and international customers have been requesting this new technology, and the patent award takes us one step closer to being able to serve them."
ReACT's advantages over conventional tube test procedures include prefilled strips, no washing (which manual tests require), ease of use, stable and reproducible results, fast and short centrifuge time (less than three minutes per test compared with up to 10 minutes for available methods), and clear differentiation between positive and negative results.
The ReACT system consists of a centrifuge, an incubator and a disposable strip containing an immunoreactive agarose. The strip is a microcolumn panel of six or eight different tests. Products based on ReACT (Red cell Adherence Column Technology) employ a microcolumn format that minimizes human error and allows subsequent viewing of test results by others. Microcolumn testing has been successfully marketed in Europe since 1988.
In October 1996, Gamma submitted a 510K application to the Food and Drug Administration for approval to market ReACT in the United States. Gamma Biologicals, B.V., already has approval to sell ReACT systems in the Netherlands.
Gamma Biologicals manufactures and sells a wide variety of highly refined and specialized testing products known as in-vitro diagnostic reagents. The Company markets to blood donation centers (commonly called "blood banks"), transfusion departments of hospitals, medical laboratories and research institutions through a direct sales force and a distributor network to more than 50 countries. The company's common stock trades on the American Stock Exchange using the symbol GBL. Information about the company is available at www.gammabio.com .
CONTACT:
Gamma Biologicals, Houston
David E. Hatcher, 713/681-8481
KEYWORD: TEXAS
BW0103 SEP 16,1997 |
