EnviroLogix(TM) Signs Collaborative Agreement With Douglas Scientific(TM) to Combine DNAble(R) and Array Tape(TM) Technologies for Revolutionary Qualitative and Quantitative Nucleic Acid Analysis Solutions

PORTLAND, ME--(Marketwire - Jul 24, 2012) -  EnviroLogix announced today that it has signed a collaborative agreement with Douglas Scientific to develop and optimize solutions for high throughput real time and endpoint nucleic acid analysis. The companies will leverage and build upon EnviroLogix' revolutionary isothermal DNAble®v2.0 chemistry and Douglas Scientific's disruptive Array Tape™ Platform.

The DNAble isothermal amplification and detection technology represents a new paradigm in real time nucleic acid analysis and has the potential to impact the world of molecular biology. This new DNAble assay solution developed by EnviroLogix delivers results equivalent to qPCR in less than 10 minutes with the demonstrated ability to utilize crude sample preparations. These attributes make this solution equally valuable for point-of-use testing as well as extremely high throughput applications.

"The substantial improvement in throughput with DNAble alone is significant, but when combined with the Douglas Scientific Array Tape solutions it becomes revolutionary," said Dan Malmstrom, President and COO of Douglas Scientific. "By partnering with EnviroLogix, we can provide end-to-end qualitative and quantitative nucleic acid testing automation solutions that break the current paradigms of qPCR."

DNAble is a very rapid, highly specific isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology that can amplify both RNA and DNA targets with single base resolution a billion-fold in 5-10 minutes at a single and constant temperature. It features EnviroLogix' next generation DNAblev2.0 chemistry. The proprietary chemistry produces highly specific, rapid, multiplexed, quantitative results rivaling qPCR. Unlike PCR, DNAble can amplify a target sequence from a crude sample preparation and do so with minimal equipment. DNAble's unique amplification process begins with a nicking enzyme that nicks the DNA structure at specific recognition sites. A polymerase then extends from the "nicked" site displacing the original opened single strand. These single strands hybridize with both the forward and reverse DNAble templates and the reaction begins to occur at an exponential rate yielding a detectable target in less than 10 minutes.

"We are delighted to be associated with a fast-paced, growing organization like Douglas Scientific, and believe that this will be a winning combination of chemistry and engineering," said Bruce Ferguson, President and CEO of EnviroLogix. "PCR was once a fledgling technology and now is the gold standard. That is how we view DNAble. Combined with the power of Douglas Scientific's automated high throughput equipment, DNAble brings a game-changing technological breakthrough in real time quantitative molecular diagnostics."

Array Tape™ is a continuous polymer strip, serially embossed with reaction wells in customized volumes and formats. With miniaturized reaction wells, this thin (0.3 mm) and flexible solution allows 200 microplate equivalents (76,800 reaction wells) to be spooled onto a single, compact reel. It is an automated, adaptable microplate replacement for high throughput screening.

Douglas Scientific provides inline, modular instrumentation that is fully integrated and optimized for use with Array Tape™ including Nexar^® liquid handling and assay processing system, Soellex^® thermal cycler, Araya^® fluorescent detection instrumentation and software solutions. The platform enables a continuous reel-to-reel process flow to maximize throughput and reduce costs.

About EnviroLogix Inc.
EnviroLogix Inc. is a subsidiary of Ensign-Bickford Industries and is committed to applying technological solutions that secure and improve the world. EnviroLogix is a world leader in developing, manufacturing, and marketing rapid diagnostic solutions serving the Ag-biotech, food/feed safety, horticulture, environmental, and veterinary markets. Its market leadership has been achieved through innovations in both immunoassay and more recently molecular diagnostic technologies. QuickScan™, utilizing lateral flow strips and a unique bar-coding system, provides quantitative results in minutes for applications where simple, fast, and cost effective answers are required. DNAble, with flexible platforms, provides results in less than 10 minutes in either a self-contained hand-held a lateral flow strip format or a fluorescent readout using an inexpensive benchtop fluorometer. Behind all the innovations at EnviroLogix is a desire to serve its customers by bringing real time answers to the point of need. EnviroLogix Inc. is located at 500 Riverside Industrial Parkway, Portland, ME 04103.

About Douglas Scientific
Douglas Scientific is dedicated to making the world a better place by delivering innovative laboratory automation. Array Tape is engineered to be a ubiquitous media for high throughput processing, driving more data at lower costs. The high throughput Nexar (liquid handing system), Soellex (thermal cycler) and Araya (scanner) optimized for Array Tape virtually eliminate manual handling and complex robotics required for microplate-based systems. The platform enables new discovery in plant genomics, animal health, human diagnostics, and pharmaceutical applications at unprecedented speed and fractional costs. By partnering with the most creative and dedicated scientists around the world, the Company delivers advancements to address several imminent global issues and threats. Douglas Scientific is a wholly owned company of Douglas Machine Inc., with corporate offices located at 3600 Minnesota Street, Alexandria, MN 56308.