Leica Microsystems and Epitomics Enter Agreement for Supply of Proprietary Rabbit Monoclonal Antibodies

Feb. 29, 2012, 4:00 a.m. EST   Strengthening the Portfolio of Bond IHC Antibodies     NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, England, February 29, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Leica Microsystems and Epitomics, Inc. announced today that they had reached an agreement for the supply of proprietary rabbit monoclonal antibodies to Leica Microsystems, based on Epitomics, RabMAb® technology. The agreement also provides long-term support for Leica's incorporation of Epitomics' products into higher regulatory classifications of IVD products.   "We are very pleased to enter into this strategic relationship with Epitomics" comments Dr. Konstantin Fiedler, Vice President of Advanced Staining for Leica's Biosystems Division. "In December we released the first one-step double staining detection system, Leica ChromoPlex 1™ Dual Detection for BOND. Our agreement with Epitomics will allow us to build a supporting range of antibody cocktails based of the leading Novocastra™ mouse monoclonal antibodies and Epitomics RabMAb® rabbit monoclonal antibodies. Additionally, with a selection of Epitomics' rabbit monoclonal antibodies we will also be able to further strengthen our portfolio of Novocastra concentrated and Bond Ready-to-Use antibody selection for our BOND instruments."   "We are very pleased to see our RabMabs are incorporated into one of the most advanced automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining systems for pathology laboratories in the world. This agreement is another important endorsement of the quality of Epitomics products in the rapidly growing field of IHC for anatomic pathology. Epitomics has accumulated a collection of candidate antibodies for potential future incorporation into companion diagnostics products in recent years. This strategic relationship will take us to the next level." says Dr. Guo-Liang Yu, President and CEO of Epitomics Inc.   

About Leica Microsystems   Leica Microsystems is a world leader in microscopes and scientific instruments. Founded as a family business in the nineteenth century, the company's history was marked by unparalleled innovation on its way to becoming a global enterprise.   Its historically close cooperation with the scientific community is the key to Leica Microsystems' tradition of innovation, which draws on users' ideas and creates solutions tailored to their requirements. At the global level, Leica Microsystems is organized in four divisions, all of which are among the leaders in their respective fields: the Life Science Division, Industry Division, Biosystems Division and Medical Division.   Leica Microsystems' Biosystems Division, also known as Leica Biosystems, offers histopathology laboratories the most extensive product range with appropriate products for each work step in histology and for a high level of productivity in the working processes of the entire laboratory.   The company is represented in over 100 countries with 12 manufacturing facilities in 7 countries, sales and service organizations in 19 countries and an international network of dealers. The company is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany.   

About Epitomics   Epitomics, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company, is dedicated to developing breakthrough monoclonal antibody technology for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The Company utilizes a unique and proprietary RabMAb® (Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody) technology which produces antibodies with superior binding affinity and bioactivity in a wide variety of biological assays. Epitomics, Inc. is headquartered in Burlingame, California, and operates a wholly owned subsidiary in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China.