SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – SEPTEMBER 6, 2006 –Idaho Technology, Inc., a molecular biology instrumentation and reagents business in Salt Lake City, Utah, announced today that its RAZOR System is now designated as a qualified anti-terrorism technology by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). RAZOR instruments are used by military and first responder teams around the world for on-the-spot analysis of biowarfare agents.
Todd Ritter, Chief Corporate Development Officer, said, “We are excited our system met this critical government standard of quality. The RAZOR is an innovative system that allows our customers to test for dangerous pathogens at the incident site and to do so very accurately and quickly. This certification shows that our company’s commitment to our customers is based on cutting edge science and real-world usability.” The DHS certification confers two benefits: a designation as qualified anti-terrorism technology and a defense certification relating to the applicability of the government contractor. The designation requires the stringent application of the following criteria to the technology: 1) prior U.S. Government use or demonstrated substantial use and effectiveness, 2) availability of the technology for immediate distribution, 3) the potential liability of the seller, 4) the risk to the public if the technology is not distributed, 5) evaluation of scientific studies, and 6) the effectiveness of the technology in defending against acts of terrorism.
Additionally, the government contractor defense certification requires that the DHS Secretary conduct a comprehensive review of the technology design. The review determines if the design will perform as intended, conforms to the seller’s specifications, and is safe for the intended use. The certification also provides that the seller will conduct safety and hazard analyses and supply such information to the Secretary.
About Idaho Technology, Inc.
Idaho Technology, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 1990, Idaho Technology worked together with the University of Utah to develop rapid PCR technology and other innovative technologies for nucleic acid detection and analysis. Through funds from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense, the company has created many commercial instruments and reagents for use in research and applied fields. Researchers, medical technicians, law enforcement officers, and soldiers in the field use the company’s devices to detect or study human genetics, disease-causing organisms or biothreat agents. For further information, please visit www.idahotech.com.