At ASRM, Hamilton Thorne Will Also Promote Its CASA II Clinical Systems Featuring All New Software and Enhanced Hardware
BEVERLY, MA and TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - October 14, 2013) -
Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: HTL), a leading provider of precision laser devices and advanced image analysis systems for the fertility, stem cell and developmental biology research markets, today announced that the Company will be attending the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) 69th Annual Meeting taking place in Boston, MA, October 13 - 17, 2013. ASRM is the premiere U.S. meeting on reproductive medicine and an ideal showcase for Hamilton Thorne to launch the Company's new DIMENSIONS® II Strict Morphology program for its CASA II systems, as well as showcase its new sperm imaging and analysis software introduced at the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) meeting in London in July 2013. To learn more about Hamilton Thorne's full line of fertility products, including the new DIMENSIONS II and sperm imaging and analysis software, please visit the Company's booth # 323.
Focusing on ease of use plus interoperability and consistency with the Company's other software products, DIMENSIONS II Strict Morphology software provides automated and objective morphological classification of sperm according to strict (Tygerberg) criteria and is fully compatible with its next generation CASA II systems. The strict criteria classification method provides specific guidelines for size and shape of the sperm head and status of the acrosome and tail. The sperm are assessed according to these parameters and categorized as normal, sub-normal or abnormal accordingly.
In addition, Hamilton Thorne will prominently feature its CASA II systems -- the IVOS® II Clinical and the CEROS™ II Clinical for human sperm motility analysis. The new IVOS II hardware features improved ergonomics and a high resolution digital camera including new built-in LED-based fluorescent analysis. New for the CEROS II is the ability to be installed and operated on a laptop computer, which will enhance portability and save space. The completely redesigned software coupled with improved optical resolution provides a user-friendly interface and crystal clear imaging of sperm cells. With FDA 510(k) approval pending, the system is being sold in research and animal breeding markets in the USA and in all markets throughout Europe and Asia.
"The ASRM annual meeting continues to be a strategic launching pad for several of our premiere products such as the cutting-edge LYKOS clinical laser introduced in 2011 and the next generation IVOS II hardware platform in 2012. Therefore it was a natural choice for us to launch the new DIMENSIONS II software at this prestigious fertility event," said David Wolf, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hamilton Thorne Ltd. "The addition of DIMENSIONS II to our menu of products for the CASA II platform demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with the best solutions as we move forward. Also, we are confident that the overwhelmingly positive response to new CASA II software introduced at ESHRE 2013 meeting will repeat itself at the ASRM show."
Other products to be displayed include:
- IMSI-Strict® imaging software, which provides fertility clinicians expert assistance in selecting optimum sperm and thus improve outcomes during ICSI procedures.
- LYKOS® and ZILOS-tk® clinical lasers, which are used in embryo biopsy procedures to obtain cells for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and in laser-assisted hatching of embryos.
- CIVA™ imaging software, which provides a powerful tool to capture and annotate images and video from any microscopic workstation in the laboratory.
Hamilton Thorne also launched its redesigned website (www.hamiltonthorne.com) which provides a vast amount of information on Hamilton Thorne products and the applications in which they are used. Videos of product applications are available for viewing and download, as are detailed lists of publications and product brochures. In addition, visitors are invited to sign up to view past webinars hosted by Hamilton Thorne, which feature some of the industry leaders in both the clinical and research markets.
About Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (www.hamiltonthorne.com)
Hamilton Thorne designs, manufactures and distributes precision laser devices and advanced image analysis systems for the fertility, stem cell and development biology research markets. It provides novel solutions for Life Science that reduce cost, increase productivity, improve results and enable research breakthroughs in fertility, regenerative medicine, and stem cell research markets. Hamilton Thorne's laser products attach to standard inverted microscopes and operate as robotic micro-surgeons, enabling a wide array of scientific applications and IVF procedures. Its imaging systems improve outcomes in human IVF clinics and animal breeding facilities and provide high-end toxicology analyses.
Hamilton Thorne was ranked in the 'Top 20' of the "Area's Largest Medical Device Companies" by the Boston Business Journal in October 2012. The Company's growing customer base includes pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, fertility clinics, university research centers, and other commercial and academic research establishments worldwide. Current customers include world-leading research labs such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, McGill, DuPont, Monsanto, Charles River Labs, Jackson Labs, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Oxford and Cambridge.
DIMENSIONS II and IMSI are sold for research purposes only in the US.
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Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.