WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boston Biomedica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBII), a worldwide leader in the infectious diseases quality control marketplace, today announced that Schneider & Associates, a Boston-based public relations agency, has been selected to conduct a corporate communications publicity campaign for the Company.
Schneider & Associates will develop a comprehensive program to promote Boston Biomedica's products and services, including the launch of the Company's first Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT) product -- the PCT Sample Preparation System. This System is comprised of both a pressure cycling instrument (the Barocycler(TM)) and disposable reaction containers (PULSE(TM) Tubes) that together allow for the rapid and efficient extraction of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) and proteins from cells and tissues. The Company is targeting the new PCT System to the genomics and proteomics industries, as an automated alternative to the current time-consuming and often inefficient methods used in laboratories worldwide for the extraction of nucleic acids and proteins from "hard-to-lyse" cells and tissues, such as grinding with mortar and pestle.
PCT is a novel and enabling technology platform that offers the potential for new solutions for a number of important healthcare issues. In addition to the extraction of nucleic acids and proteins from cells and tissues, PCT also offers potential applications in the inactivation of pathogens in human plasma, vaccines, and therapeutics; immunodiagnostics; protein purification; and food safety testing.
Richard T. Schumacher, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Boston Biomedica, commented: "With more than 20 years of public relations experience in launching products and services, Schneider & Associates has an excellent track record, and we are very pleased to have them working with us at this most important time for BBI. Furthermore, we believe that Schneider's longstanding relationship with the pharmaceutical, drug discovery, and business media will be extremely valuable in generating increased visibility for Boston Biomedica."
Schneider & Associates has worked extensively in the life sciences industry, with leading equipment designers and manufacturers such as Zymark Corporation, The Automation Partnership, and ID Business Solutions. According to Jeffrey Loucks, Vice President of Schneider & Associates' Corporate Communications Division: "We are very impressed with BBI's reputation as the worldwide leader in the infectious diseases quality control marketplace, and share their excitement over the anticipated introduction of their first commercial PCT product. We look forward to helping them continue to expand and build upon their leadership position. This is an exciting time for Boston Biomedica and we are pleased to be working with them as they move into the next phase of their corporate growth."
About Boston Biomedica, Inc.
Boston Biomedica, Inc., based in West Bridgewater, Mass., provides products and services for the detection and monitoring of infectious diseases such as AIDS and Viral Hepatitis. BBI has three operating business units: (1) BBI Diagnostics, an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer and supplier of quality control and diagnostics reagents used to increase the accuracy of in vitro diagnostic tests, (2) BBI Biotech Research Laboratories, a research and development center providing R&D support for the other BBI business units, as well as contract research and repository services for the government, industry and other third parties, and (3) BBI Source Scientific, an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of diagnostic instrumentation and medical devices. In addition, BBI is conducting research and development in Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT) through its subsidiary BBI BioSeq, with the goal of introducing new solutions for a number of important healthcare issues, including inactivation of pathogens in human plasma, extraction of nucleic acids, food safety, and genomics. BBI also maintains a passive investment in Panacos Pharmaceuticals, a privately held antiviral drug and vaccine development company spun-off in 2000 from BBI, whose goal is to introduce new solutions for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
About Schneider & Associates
Schneider & Associates is a full-service public relations, strategic communications and marketing agency founded in 1980. The firm represents a wide range of business-to-business, consumer and public affairs clients throughout the United States. Within the Corporate Communications Division, Schneider & Associates specializes in working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the drug discovery industry. Schneider & Associates is a member of IPREX, a worldwide and regional network of public relations firms.
Statements contained in this news release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are "forward-looking" statements. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those projected include the possibility that Schneider and Associates may not be successful in generating a successful corporate communications publicity campaign for BBI. Further, due to difficulties in the development of the technology, BBI may not be successful in launching the PCT Sample Preparation System in mid-2002 as expected, or ever; that Pressure Cycling Technology may not have any applications in the inactivation of pathogens in human plasma, vaccines and therapeutics, immunodiagnostics, protein purification or food safety testing; that Pressure Cycling Technology may not be adaptable to any other commercially viable applications; that certain pressure cycling applications may not fall within the claims of the Company's eight issued patents; and that individuals and groups utilizing such PCT procedures may not be required to license such technology from BBI. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K (as amended) for the year ended December 31, 2000, Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 8, 2001, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2001, June 30, 2001, and September 30, 2001, and in the Company's Registration Statements on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-46426 and Reg. No. 333-94379). Copies of these documents may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC.
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SOURCE Boston Biomedica, Inc.
Web site: www.bbii.com
CONTACT: Investor Contacts: Richard T. Schumacher, CEO & Chairman, or Kevin W. Quinlan, President & COO of Boston Biomedica, Inc., +1-508-580-1900; or Media Contact: Jennifer Viera of Schneider & Associates, +1-617-536-3300, Jviera@schneiderpr.com
