The Growth Direct™ System is the first and only automated system for rapid microbial detection that addresses all of the manufacturers´ key testing applications and fits with current regulatory practices, a critical accelerator for adoption. The system is now commercially available for shipment in North America and will be available for delivery to customers in Europe in the second half of 2008.

The Growth Direct™ System greatly reduces testing time by using proprietary digital imaging technology to replace detection by the human eye. The system delivers high throughput analysis with its proprietary consumable Growth Cassettes™ and automates otherwise error-prone manual steps. The resulting time savings and quality improvement is expected to reduce product loss, inventory carrying costs, plant shut-downs, and labor, which should, in turn, produce significant cost savings and contribute to better manufacturing margins.

Steve Delity, President & CEO commented: "Pharmaceutical manufacturers have long been looking for a new method to reduce the long waiting times for microbial test results that also fits with industry standard regulatory methods. We are pleased to deliver the first and only platform that can provide test results faster and more reliably, while also removing the significant regulatory hurdles introduced by alternative technologies. "