Poised for RAPID Growth, Vivione Biosciences to Open New Laboratory in Pine Bluff

Little Rock, AR (May 8, 2012) – Vivione Biosciences, LLC, a Little Rock-based manufacturer of the new ultra high performance RAPID-BTM diagnostic system, is establishing a presence in Jefferson County, Arkansas. This bio-technology company is growing its Applications Development Laboratory at Pine Bluff Arsenal, adjacent to the nearby FDA-NCTR facility. After a multi-year search, Vivione selected this location as the “best fit for Company growth plans” according to Vivione CEO, Kevin Kuykendall. He went on to say that “the choice was made easier through aggressive incentives offered by both the State and the Jefferson County community.”

Work at the new facility will be centered on the Company’s RAPID-BTM diagnostic system. The technology has diverse applicability from food safety to clinical diagnostics, by identifying and quantifying microorganism levels. Over five years of research went into the development of Vivione’s new system, which has exhibited significantly better performance than existing diagnostic products. One striking improvement is speed: Vivione’s system delivers results in minutes, instead of the days or weeks needed for other systems. Collaborators who developed this technology include the National Center for Toxicology Research (NCTR), University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS), and University of Arkansas (UA) Center for Food Safety in Fayetteville. Vivione’s President and Chief Science Officer, Ted Moskal says “There is a great deal of industry buzz around our new diagnostic system. We see our new facility in Pine Bluff as vital to the rollout of the new product.”

Grant Tennille, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, highlights the enthusiasm, not only within the industry, but in the region’s business community by adding that “When Arkansas’s research institutions partner to produce new, world-class technology, we create knowledge-based jobs with the possibility of substantial growth. Arkansas has a strong entrepreneurial history, and we are proud to add Vivione to the list of our homegrown companies.”

Approximately a dozen high technology jobs will be located at the new facility and many of the positions will require advanced degrees. The facility will execute translational research and quality testing in addition to some specific industry project work, for the new RAPID-BTM diagnostic system.

About the RAPID-B Diagnostic Platform
The RAPID-B technology is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Vivione Biosciences and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Arkansas. This research and development produced an innovative, rapid method to address unmet diagnostic needs within the global food industry’s Process Control and Product Safety programs. The outcome of that is the Vivione Biosciences RAPID-B technology and platform.

About Vivione Biosciences

Headquartered in Little Rock Arkansas, Vivione Biosciences is a life sciences company specializing in high performance clinical, food safety and bio-safety/security diagnostics. For more information, please visit our website:
http://www.vivionebiosciences.com/