Diagnostic HYBRIDS Announces Release of D3 Duet(TM) DFA Kits for Simultaneous Screening of Multiple Respiratory Viruses in Cell Culture.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Diagnostic HYBRIDS announces the release of two virus detection kits utilizing proprietary dual fluorescent technology for the screening of seven major respiratory viruses in cell culture using a multiplex antibody format. The two kits released are D3 Duet(TM) DFA Influenza A/Respiratory Virus Screening Kit and D3Duet(TM) DFA RSV/Respiratory Virus Screening Kit.

Both kits provide users with the ability to test for Influenza A and B, Parainfluenza 1, 2 and 3, Adenovirus, and RSV in culture using one stain reagent and one microscope filter. This leads to high quality, easy-to-read results in 15 minutes, with either Influenza A or RSV identified by golden-yellow fluorescent cells, and the other six viruses by apple-green fluorescent cells in each respective kit.

The D3 Duet(TM) DFA kits use brighter, easily distinguishable fluorescent stain colors to improve interpretation of virus-infected cell cultures by combining monoclonal antibodies labeled with either Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC) or R-Phycoerythrin (R-PE) in one reagent for simultaneous detection. Current dual-staining products on the market use FITC in combination with Tetramethyl Rhodamine Isothiocyanate (TRITC). These products require a second, non-routine, expensive microscope filter set and additional time to obtain results.

Steven Geimer, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Service at Diagnostic HYBRIDS, stated that "while Influenza A and B are the two main types of the influenza virus commonly associated with human illness - with 5% to 20% of the U.S. population getting the flu each year - and with RSV the most common cause of pneumonia and other respiratory diseases in children under 1 year of age, the D3 Duet(TM) DFA kits make it easy and cost-effective to also identify those patients with severe respiratory illness caused by the other important respiratory viruses."

About Diagnostic HYBRIDS

Diagnostic HYBRIDS develops and commercializes innovative and genetically engineered cell-based detection products for virus and autoimmune human diagnostic applications and for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry with an initial focus on pharmacology assays and products that measure drug clearance and anti-viral interventions with drugs and vaccines. The company is certified to ISO 13485 standards and manufactures live continuous and primary cell cultures for clinical diagnostics and pharmacology assays from its headquarters in Athens, OH. Diagnostic HYBRIDS was named one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies in America in 2004 and 2005 by Inc. Magazine. The company is a pillar member of Omeris, a statewide organization of bioscience companies accelerating the bioscience and healthcare economy in Ohio. For more information, please visit www.dhiusa.com.