Checkit Regulatory News (CKT)

3 December 2012

Elektron Technology plc

Launch of new AMD screening product

Elektron Technology plc (AIM: EKT, "Elektron" or the "Group"), the developer of fast moving engineered products with market leading positions in connectivity, instrumentation and monitoring and control markets, has launched a new, easy-to-use, macular pigment screener (MPS II) which can quickly identify those most at risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is the loss of vision in the centre of the eye caused by high-energy blue light from the sun, which can also be emitted from computer screens and handheld devices, damaging the retinal protective shield, or macula. The MPS II measures the density of the yellow pigment within the macula which has an important role in absorbing the blue light.

Clinical data collected from 1.5 million patients over the last five years has been used to validate MPS II which Elektron believes to be the fastest and most accurate macular test on the market. Trials of MPS II have shown that it offers a quicker, more reliable screening tool than traditional tests, and can identify those with a low macular pigment density and therefore at higher risk of developing AMD.

Elektron will also be working to raise awareness of the benefits of screening for AMD and preventative care. Public awareness in the Far East, particularly in Japan and Taiwan, is already high, but it has not received as much attention in Western countries.

The Directors expect this to change when the results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 ("AREDS2"), carried out by the US National Eye Institute, are reported in 2013. This is expected to highlight the benefits of screening for AMD.

Elektron will be marketing MPS II across their global markets. With 11 million known sufferers of AMD in the US alone, the market potential for MPS II is significant.

John Wilson, CEO of Elektron Technology commented:

"The MPS II is an exciting new product that puts our ophthalmic and optometric business at the forefront of this cutting edge technology. With the awareness of AMD set to rise, along with demand for fast, accurate screening, we are in a great position to be able to help detect those most at risk."

Enquiries:

About AMD

AMD damages the macula, and as the disease progresses it blurs the patient's central vision, meaning that the sufferer can no longer see people's faces. The most common form is dry AMD where the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down. Untreated dry AMD can progress into wet AMD, which is caused by the abnormal growth of blood vessels under the macula, leading to rapid loss of central vision.

The US National Eye Institute's first Age-Related Eye Disease Study ("AREDS") showed that high-dose antioxidant vitamins and minerals taken orally reduced the risk of progression to advanced AMD by 25 per cent, and the risk of moderate vision loss by 19 per cent. The second report will focus on the benefits of supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin and on providing clinical evidence of its efficacy.

There is no cure for AMD, which is a major cause of sight loss, but delaying the onset of AMD is now thought to be possible with a combination of diet, lifestyle and nutritional supplements. When the results for AREDS2 are announced in Q2 2013 the Directors anticipate that GPs and opticians will see an increase in requests for AMD screening.

About Elektron

Elektron Technology is a global designer and manufacturer of fast moving engineered products, the precision engineered components that enable three of the most important technology areas of the always-on, networked economy: Monitoring & Control, Connectivity and Precision Instrumentation.

The Group has a broad portfolio of products that are recognised leaders in their markets, playing a critical role in many industries from underwater construction to food preparation, semiconductor manufacture to emergency vehicle systems. They result from a commercially focused, customer-led new product development process centred on the Group's Technology Centre based in Cambridge. The Group's products are sold worldwide to 7,000 customers; 100,000 end-users, and used in all 7 continents and in space.

Elektron Technology is headquartered in Cambridge and traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.