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Bio-Rad Launches Its PREvalence ddPCR SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Quantification Kit for COVID-19 Wastewater Testing

BIO | June 21, 2021

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb), a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, today announced the launch of its PREvalence ™ ddPCR ® SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Quantification Kit, a sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective tool used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a community’s wastewater.

“With wastewater testing becoming more widely adopted, this assay provides the ability for a community to determine if the virus is present days to weeks before the virus may be detected in individuals,” said Simon May, Bio-Rad Senior Vice President, Digital Biology Group. “As we continue to manage the spread of COVID-19, it is especially important to have a highly sensitive early warning system that can be implemented on a community-wide basis,” he said.

ddPCR ® technology is recommended in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (CDC) for wastewater testing, and use of the technology has been published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a dependable method to quantify viruses in wastewater.

The PREvalence ™ ddPCR ® SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Quantification Kit includes all reagents needed to detect the virus in wastewater along with software for automated analysis. The test runs on Bio-Rad’s QX200 ™ Droplet Digital ® PCR System, QX200 ™ AutoDG ™ Droplet Digital ® PCR System, and the QX ONE ® Droplet Digital ® PCR System. It joins Bio-Rad’s menu of COVID-19 products that are being used in the global fight against COVID-19. Other products include molecular qPCR and ddPCR ® instruments and assays, antibody tests, quality controls, and ddPCR ® assays to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

BIO-RAD, PREVALENCE, DROPLET DIGITAL, DDPCR, QX200, AUTODG and QX ONE are trademarks of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. in certain jurisdictions.

About Bio-Rad

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) is a global leader in developing, manufacturing, and marketing a broad range of innovative products for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. With a focus on quality and customer service for over 65 years, our products advance the discovery process and improve healthcare. Our customers are university and research institutions, hospitals, public health and commercial laboratories, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as applied laboratories that include food safety and environmental quality. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is based in Hercules, California, and has a global network of operations with more than 7,800 employees worldwide. Bio-Rad had revenues exceeding $2.5 billion in 2020. Please visit bio-rad.com for further information.

This release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements we make regarding our expectations about our products. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plan", "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "may," "will," "intend," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to develop and market new or improved products, our ability to compete effectively, international legal and regulatory risks, and product quality and liability issues. For further information regarding our risks and uncertainties, please refer to the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" in Bio-Rad’s public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Bio-Rad cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.