Exhibit 99
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Company Contact:
Stanley J. Musial
Chief Financial Officer
(302) 456-6789
www.sdix.com
Strategic Diagnostics Announces Performance Tested(sm) Approval for Salmonella
Food Pathogen Test and Adoption of Microtox(R) Product by Food Processor
NEWARK, Del., March 24, 2003 - Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (Nasdaq: SDIX) - a
leading provider of antibody products and analytical test kits for the food
safety and water quality markets, today announced the RapidChek(R) Salmonella
test kit has earned Performance Tested(sm) certification from the AOAC Research
Institute. Salmonella is the most common food pathogen and is found in a wide
variety of foods including meats, dairy and processed foods. The Center for
Disease control estimates that between 2 and 4 million illnesses occur each year
in the U.S. from the more than 2,000 strains of Salmonella. AOAC has approved
the use of the RapidChek(R) Salmonella lateral flow test cassette for use in
meat and poultry. Silliker Laboratories performed external validation of the
test. "Silliker Laboratories found the RapidChek(R) Salmonella test performed
well and was convenient and easy to use," commented Wendy Lepper, Research
Manager for Silliker Laboratories.
Tests for Salmonella represent approximately 50% of all food pathogen testing,
and the market for rapid pathogen tests has been estimated to be approximately
$180 million and growing. The official detection method currently used by the
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
requires 48 hours to obtain a test result. SDI's test is designed for ease of
use and to provide results in 24 hours, as fast as any other marketed Salmonella
test known to the Company. The RapidChek(R) test system offers several
advantages over products currently in the market including room temperature
storage, no sample boiling and faster, easier to read test strips. Key
evaluations are currently underway with major food companies and laboratories.
Richard C. Birkmeyer, President and CEO of SDI commented, "We are very pleased
to have received AOAC approval for another product in our food-pathogen product
arsenal. Other rapid Salmonella tests have significant problems with incorrectly
detecting non-Salmonella bacteria. We have taken advantage of our antibody
technology to develop a test that we believe offers significantly improved
specificity as compared to competitors' tests. The combination of speed,
ease-of-use and superior performance is a significant competitive advantage in
the marketplace and the addition of the Salmonella test and media to our E. coli
products is another step toward providing complete testing solutions to our
customers."
Also, the Company is pleased to announce that Quality Sausage, a manufacturer of
sausages and other prepared meats in Dallas Texas, has adopted the Microtox(R)
toxicity system for screening of process water supplies. "We recognize that
water is a vital component of our products and we are committed to protecting
the quality of that water just as we are with all of the ingredients that we
use," said Mr. Mark Mar, Food and Environmental Safety Manager. "The system is
easy to use and incorporate into our normal food safety analytical program, and
our customers have commented how pleased they are that we are taking this action
to protect the products we supply to them and, in doing so, protect their
brands."
Mr. Birkmeyer reiterated comments made in the Company's press release of
February 27, 2003. "We are very pleased that food processors, like Quality
Sausage, have selected Microtox(R) technology as part of their comprehensive
quality assurance programs. Microtox(R) technology is currently serving as a
crucial part of the drinking water security and counter-terrorism water
monitoring programs of many major drinking water utilities across the country.
Microtox(R) provides the best means available for rapid detection of the actual
chemical impact and increase in toxicity from an intentional contamination of
drinking water. We are pleased that Microtox(R) systems can serve in this
important application to help deter the threat of terrorism and we will continue
to work with more and more major drinking water utilities, as well as food and
beverage companies, to maximize the utilization of this important application of
Microtox(R) technology."
About Strategic Diagnostics Inc.
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SDI is a leading provider of biotechnology-based diagnostic tests for a broad
range of agricultural, industrial, and water treatment applications. Through its
antibody business, Strategic BioSolutions, Strategic Diagnostics also provides
antibody and immunoreagent research and development services. SDI's test kits
are produced in a variety of formats suitable for field and laboratory use,
offering advantages of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, portability, and rapid
response.
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements reflecting the
current expectations of Strategic Diagnostics Inc. and its subsidiaries (the
"Company"). These statements include, among others, statements regarding: the
development, market acceptance and sales of tests for food-borne pathogens and
related growth media; the size and nature of demand in the markets for the
Company's products and related effects on operating results; the need for water
quality and toxicity tests; anticipated increases in sales of the Company's
Microtox(R) toxicity screening systems; approval and validation by third parties
of the Company's food pathogen tests; and the performance of the Company's
testing products. In addition, when used in this news release, the words
"anticipate," "enable," "estimate," "intend," "expect," "believe," "potential,"
"may," "will," "should," "project" and similar expressions as they relate to the
Company are intended to identify said forward-looking statements. Investors are
cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties,
which may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated at this time.
Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for
products, delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new
products, retention of customers, attraction and retention of management and key
employees, adequate supply of raw materials, inability to obtain or delays in
obtaining third party approvals, or required government approvals, the ability
to meet increased market demand, competition, protection of intellectual
property, non-infringement of intellectual property, seasonality, the ability to
obtain financing and other factors more fully described in the Company's public
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.