Life Technologies Develops Fast and Accurate Test to Detect Europe's Deadly E. coli

CARLSBAD, Calif., June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced that it has developed a custom test (assay) to accurately detect the E. coli bacterium that has killed at least 22 people and affected more than 2,100 worldwide, including four new cases reported in the United States. Shipments of the TaqMan® E. coli 0104 Detection Kit to test foods thought to be associated with the outbreak are now in Europe.

"A qPCR-based assay test is the most accurate method to detect harmful foodborne pathogens because a positive result indicates the presence of that particular strain's DNA in the food sample that is being tested," said Nir Nimrodi, Head of Food Safety at Life Technologies. "It is also the fastest. While traditional laboratory testing methods can take up to 10 days for results, this test can determine the presence or absence of the European pathogen in 10 to 24 hours, depending on the sample type and size."

Life Technologies began designing the specially tailored test last week after company researchers, using samples supplied by scientists at University Hospital Munster, completed the DNA sequencing and analysis work on the deadly E. coli strain using the Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM™)

Results from their work, and independently supported by a second team of researchers in China also using the PGM™, showed that the E. coli bacterium is a hybrid strain that is resistant to antibiotics.  It took both teams just three days to complete the work on the benchtop DNA sequencer.

For research use only.  Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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About Life Technologies (www.lifetechnologies.com)

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific and medical advancements that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance the fields of discovery and translational research, molecular medicine, stem cell-based therapies, food safety and animal health, and 21st century forensics. The company manufactures both molecular diagnostic and research use only products. Life Technologies' industry-leading brands are found in nearly every life sciences lab in the world and include innovative instrument systems under the Applied Biosystems and Ion Torrent names, as well as, the broadest range of reagents with its Invitrogen, GIBCO, Ambion, Molecular Probes and TaqMan® products. Life Technologies had sales of $3.6 billion in 2010, has a workforce of approximately 11,000 people, has a presence in approximately 160 countries, and possesses one of the largest intellectual property estates in the life sciences industry, with approximately 3,900 patents and exclusive licenses. For more information on how we are making a difference, please visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.

Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Life Technologies Contacts

Mauricio Minotta, Corporate Communications, USA
760-929-2456
[email protected]

David Robertson, Corporate Communications, EMEA
+44 753 4699 420
[email protected]

SOURCE Life Technologies Corporation

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