Warnex and The S.M. Group International announce collaboration

28/06/05 Canada, Warnex Inc. and The S.M. Group International Inc. have announced that they have agreed to collaborate to provide advanced diagnostic services to agri-food producers using Warnex's genomics-based technology. After having performed an extensive evaluation, Laboratoires d'analyses S.M., a division of The S.M. Group International, has acquired two Warnex(TM) Rapid Pathogen Detection Systems for their laboratories located in Sherbrooke and Varennes, Quebec.

The S.M. Group International will use the Warnex systems to test for the presence of Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli O157:H7 in food products.

The S.M. Group International's laboratories offer analytical and consultation services in the environment, water, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. The company provides an array of chemical and microbiological analyses, using state-of-the-art equipment, and has accreditations and certifications from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Standard Council of Canada, Health Canada (GMP) and ISO 9001.

The Warnex Rapid Pathogen Detection System uses cutting-edge DNA-based technology to rapidly and accurately determine the presence of pathogens in a food sample. The system allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens and processing of samples within 12 to 48 hours, a significant improvement over traditional microbiology tests that currently require 5 to 7 days.

The S.M. Group International is the first commercial service laboratory in Quebec to adopt the Warnex system. With this collaboration, Warnex and The S.M. Group International will extend the market reach for the Warnex system beyond the primary target market of larger companies with in-house laboratories to reach many small to medium-sized producers who outsource their testing needs to commercial service labs such as The S.M. Group International.

Warnex is a publicly traded Canadian biotechnology company devoted to protecting public health by providing advanced diagnostic and quality control products and services to the pharmaceutical, agri-food, and healthcare sectors. Warnex's genomics-based technology offers a versatile detection platform that produces accurate results rapidly, using Real-Time PCR technology combined with unique genetic markers and software.

Applications range from pathogen detection in foods to GMO testing. Our development pipeline includes applications in the detection of viruses, toxins, GMOs, yeasts, and molds, as well as meat speciation and bioterrorism. Warnex's profitable and growing analytical, bioanalytical, and clinical service groups offer a variety of quality control services, method development and validation, contract R&D, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies for clinical trials, and medical laboratory testing.