bmd enters two new diagnostic markets with the launch of FIDIS™ kits for infectious and genetic diseases

bmd (BioMedical Diagnostics SA), Europe's leading multiplex diagnostics company, announces today three new kits in two new diagnostic fields. These are infectious serology and genetic diseases. Two of the new kits are for the detection of the Epstein Barr virus (EBV), which causes infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever). The third kit tests for a patient's predisposition to cardiovascular disease.

"bmd continues to expand its range of FIDIS™ multiplex kits and now enters these two new application areas," said Dr Patrick G Poty, bmd CEO. "Available to private medical laboratories as well as hospitals, the new products reinforce bmd's position as a major player in high throughput profiling."

"This move into new applications demonstrates the excellent outlook for bmd as we prepare our IPO in Paris on Alternext," added Poty.

The FIDIS™ EBV G and EBV M kits are designed to reveal the presence of G and M antibodies against the Epstein Barr virus, which causes infectious mononucleosis in immuno-depressed patients, transplant recipients and young persons. Widespread testing for this disease is already carried out in Europe and the US. The new kits provide medical laboratories with a more rational solution to the problem and boost bmd's position as leader in this area, currently covered with ELISA or unitary tests. The FIDIS™ EBV kits are the first in a range of infectious disease kits that bmd will expand rapidly. Planned kits will address respiratory diseases, sexually transmissible diseases, vaccination follow-up and viral meningitis.

FIDIS™ Multiplex technology is an excellent match for the diagnosis of genetic diseases. This has enabled bmd to launch its first test to detect predisposition to cardiovascular diseases. The first application is Apoliprotein E (APO E). APO E is an essential vector of blood lipids, which are components of coronary plaque. One of APO E's polymorphisms, APO E4, is an indicator of high risk of heart failure in 75 percent of cases when it is associated with a high level of LDL cholesterol (a type of lipoprotein). Patients who carry allele APO E4 respond better to anti-cholesterol drugs and benefit more from dietary regimes.

Used in conjunction with FIDIS™, bmd's Multiplex diagnostic system, these different kits allow the fast, accurate and distinct measurement of several antibodies or alleles after a one-hour incubation. bmd is the only company today to offer diagnostic tools which are compatible with bmd's modular, automated, flow cytometry-based CARIS™-FIDIS™ platform for the main autoimmune, infectious and genetic diseases.