Ekf Diagnostics Regulatory News (EKF)

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

("EKF" or "the Company")

Quo-Lab CE marking & Commercial launch

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF), a worldwide manufacturer of point of care in-vitro diagnostic devices, announces that its new Quo-Lab HbA1c analyser has received CE marking allowing the product to be formally launched in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries.

Quo-Lab is a semi-automated HbA1c analyser which provides an accurate, low cost, and easy-to-use technology for GP surgeries, diabetes clinics and laboratories. HbA1c monitoring is increasingly used in the detection and management of diabetes and the Quo-Lab analyser has been specifically designed to meet the needs of economies where diabetes is an increasingly large public health issue and resources are limited.

In 2011 EKF sold its 1,000th Quo-Test analyser and the Company anticipates even greater demand for Quo-Lab which is positioned as one of the most cost effective HbA1c analysers on the market. Quo-Lab, which was designed by EKF subsidiary Quotient Diagnostics, is small and lightweight and uses a simple procedure to delivering lab-accurate results within four minutes.

Commenting, Julian Baines, CEO of EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc, said:

"We believe Quo-Lab will have a very positive reception in the near patient testing market for HbA1c. It provides lab-accurate, low cost testing that is incredibly easy to use and minimises the opportunity for user error or contamination of the sample, but most importantly it has specific benefits to emerging markets where diabetes is on the increase.

"By utilising the methodology that we perfected for Quo-Test we know we have a device that delivers the accuracy and precision that practitioners demand together with a user experience that is unrivalled in its sector."

Quo-Lab, which previewed at Medica in November 2011, will also be demonstrated at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry conference in Los Angeles, 17-19 July.

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About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc was formed in July 2010 following the acquisition of EKF-diagnostic GmbH for €14.32m and refocused its strategy to one of building a substantial point of care diagnostics business. As part of this strategy, the Group has integrated three further acquisitions, Quotient Diagnostics Limited (acquired in October 2010 for a maximum of £5.41m), Argutus Medical Limited (acquired in December 2010 for £2.18m) and Stanbio Laboratory L.P. (acquired in June 2011 for a maximum of US$25.5m).

The Company, with its head office in Cardiff and operations in London, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ireland and the US, is a leading diagnostics business, focused on the development, production and distribution of chemical reagents and analysers for the testing of Glucose, Lactate, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and HbA1c.

In May 2011 EKF entered into a distribution agreement with Alere Inc ("Alere"), a global diagnostics company, under which Alere was appointed the exclusive distributor of EKF's CLIA waived Hemo_Control device and cuvettes in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. The device is distributed in the US under the name HemoPoint H2. 

For more information please visit the website: www.ekfdiagnostics.com