Press Releases

For Immediate Release
Date: October 1, 2004
Contact: Liz Lloyd, Marketing Communications Manager
Phone: 800.871.8909 ext. 109

TREK Diagnostic Systems and Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, Sign New Agreement for Microbiology Instrumentation

Cleveland, Ohio – October 1, 2004 – TREK Diagnostic Systems and Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, have entered into a new three-year multi-source agreement for the VersaTREK® Automated Microbial Detection System for blood culture and mycobacteria testing instrumentation and consumables.

Under the terms of the agreement, which commences October 1, 2004, the 1,500 member institutions of Premier can choose from several different TREK acquisition options to acquire VersaTREK instrumentation and related media products. Potential savings for the Premier members will depend on instrument requirements and method of acquisition.

“We are very pleased with the tremendous market response to our VersaTREK launch this past year, and we are very excited Premier has chosen the system as one of their contracted products,” commented Tim Seekely, V.P. of Strategic Business Initiatives for TREK. “The instrument system and media platform more closely fits with today’s challenges of improving patient care and eliminating unnecessary costs, while providing laboratory technologists with a system that is much easier to work with. VersaTREK provides advantages in technology not available until now. Additionally, VersaTREK provides advantages throughout the supply chain, lowering costs associated with ordering and inventory investment.”

According to TREK customer Dr. Eileen Burd, Division Head of Microbiology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, “VersaTREK has the advantages of not having to use expensive resin-containing bottles while incorporating an incubation system that allows for even faster time to detection of microbial growth. The system has an updated user-friendly software product, utilizes less space, and makes it easier for the technologists to place and remove cultures.”

VersaTREK instrumentation features the latest technology in automated microbial detection systems and its versatility allows laboratories to conduct four tests on a single platform including blood culture, sterile body fluid culture, Mycobacteria detection and M. tuberculosis susceptibility testing. Designed for improved patient care and ease of use, VersaTREK offers unique VorTrexing™ agitation, enhanced ergonomics and features Microsoft® Windows-based software. VersaTREK provides better recovery, simple ease of use, improved patient care, and greater value, making it the best solution for the demanding challenges of the diagnostic laboratory.

About Premier, Inc.
Premier, Inc., is a strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare, entirely owned by nearly 200 of the nation’s leading hospital and healthcare systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with nearly 1,500 hospital facilities in 50 states and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery in the key areas of supply chain improvement and group purchasing, comparative data and benchmarking, and insurance. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Chicago, IL; and Charlotte, NC. Advocacy and policy offices are located in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.

About TREK Diagnostic Systems
TREK Diagnostic Systems, The New Energy in Microbiology, is a global manufacturer and distributor of automated systems and consumable products for the microbiology diagnostic laboratory. Signature product lines include VersaTREK® Automated Microbial Detection System, VersaTREK® Windows Software, Sensititre® Automated and Manual Identification and Susceptibility Testing System, Sensititre® standard and customizable plates, SWIN™ (Sensititre® for Windows) Software, alamarBlue® cell growth and cytotoxicity colorimetric indicator dye, YeastOne® microdilution plate for antifungal susceptibility testing, TREK Lab Services for customized frozen plates, and para-JEM® for the detection of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis. TREK’s products provide cost effective improvements in workflow efficiencies, ergonomics, and test result performance. TREK is committed to delivering the highest quality products and services to clinical, pharmaceutical, and veterinary diagnostic laboratories worldwide. For more information, contact www.trekds.com.