Ambion RNA Diagnostics releases the first commercially available control for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Austin, TX, June 23, 2003 – Ambion RNA Diagnostics, a division of Ambion, Inc. (Austin, TX), announces release of the first commercially available control for detection of the coronavirus associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Armored RNA® technology was used to generate a control containing a defined RNA sequence for molecular detection of the SARS coronavirus.

A novel coronavirus, for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently completed genome sequencing, is believed to be responsible for the global epidemic of SARS. To date, the World Health Organization and the CDC have reported a cumulative total of approximately 8400 probable SARS cases with over 780 deaths, from 29 countries.

Armored RNA technology is a novel system jointly invented and developed by Ambion and Cenetron Diagnostics (Cedar Creek, TX) for packaging RNA in bacteriophage coat proteins to protect and stabilize RNA. A major application of this technology is production of viral RNA controls and standards that withstand ribonucleases and long-term storage in serum or plasma. Since RNA standards are essential to quantitative assays of this type, maintaining the integrity of the RNA standards is crucial to obtaining reliable results. Armored RNA standards are highly uniform, precisely calibrated and entirely non-infectious.

“It is important to have an Armored RNA control for the SARS coronavirus because it gives laboratories the ability to use a positive control that can be carried through all the steps from sample preparation, amplification, to detection; and to do so without having to grow the virus or use a positive specimen,” said Dr. Frederick Nolte, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine. “Ambion is very pleased and excited to contribute to the global efforts to detect and control the spread of this disease. This highlights the importance of the Armored RNA technology to healthcare,” said Dr. Matt Winkler, CEO of Ambion, Inc.

Under a cooperative sales agreement, the Armored RNA portfolio of products is available for purchase through Boston Biomedica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBII), a world leader in quality control products for infectious disease diagnostics.

About Ambion RNA Diagnostics
Ambion RNA Diagnostics was created to provide RNA-based products and services to the in vitro diagnostic and pharmaceutical processing industries. Its state-of-the-art molecular biology laboratory is a cGMP multi-user, multi-product facility that includes fully equipped, process and product development laboratories. The facility is available on a contract-manufacturing basis to provide RNA synthesis, RNA isolation, diagnostic kits, controls and standards, and RNA-based raw materials for bio-processing applications.