LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Universal Detection Technology (www.udetection.com) (OTCBB:UDTT) (FWB:P08), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bio-terrorism and other infectious health threats, announced today that it plans to commercialize newly licensed technology from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) into a Microbial Monitor for Hospitals.
In 2004 UDTT unveiled BSM-2000, a bacterial spore monitor used for detection of airborne bio-terror agents such as anthrax. BSM-2000 was co-developed by JPL based on a technology that UDTT had licensed in 2002. UDTT plans to successfully develop a commercial microbial monitor based on the newly licensed technology. "We plan to utilize our experience in successful technology commercialization acquired through development of BSM-2000, to develop and offer the microbial monitor to the health care industry based on the technology we recently licensed," said Jacques Tizabi, UDTT's Chairman and CEO.
The technology being commercialized has a Provisional patent filed with the U.S. Patent Office under the title: "Airborne Bacterial Spores as an Indicator of Biomass in an Indoor Environment." The technology is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to serve as an indicator for spacecraft cleanliness. It uses a method of measuring bacterial endospore concentrations in an indoor environment; and correlating the measured bacterial endospore concentration to biomass in the said environment, thereby providing an indicator for said biomass. Testing by JPL at the Environmental Control and Life Support System at Marshall, Space Flight Center, has indicated that increased total counts of airborne endospores can be correlated to surface microbial contamination.
"The development of the Microbial Monitor comes on the heels of our successful commercialization of the BSM-2000 Anthrax Detector through technology licensed from Caltech," said Amir Ettehadieh, UDTT's Director of R&D. "We came to realize that an indicator for spacecraft cleanliness would also work to measure cleanliness in a hospital environment where elevated Microbial levels are a concern. With the recent increase in levels of hospital borne infections, the device would notify hospital officials of increased microbial levels so they can take necessary precautions to protect the patients," he added.
According to the Center for Disease Control, Hospital Acquired infections in the U.S. led to about 90,000 deaths annually -- more than the toll from breast cancer and car crashes -- and add about 5 billion dollars a year to the cost of patient care.
About Universal Detection Technology
Universal Detection Technology (UDTT), is a developer of monitoring technologies, including bio-terrorism detection devices. The Company on its own and with development partners is positioned it to capitalize on opportunities related to Homeland Security. For example, the Company, in cooperation with NASA has developed a bio-terror 'smoke' detector that detects certain bio hazard substances. For more information, please visit http://www.udetection.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results, performance and achievement in the future to differ materially from forecasted results, performance, and achievement. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in the Company's plans or expectations.