SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Idaho Technology Inc., a molecular biology instrumentation and reagents business in Salt Lake City, Utah, announced today the release of a freeze-dried assay kit to detect crude ricin. The ricin assay joins ITI’s growing portfolio of freeze-dried detection kits used in conjunction with the company’s Ruggedized Advanced Pathogen Identification Device (R.A.P.I.D.®), R.A.P.I.D. LT, and RAZOR® instrument. The detection kits and instruments are used by military and first responder teams around the world for on-the-spot analysis of biothreat agents.

Todd Ritter, Chief Corporate Development Officer, said, “Idaho Technology continues to add capability to its existing systems making our military and first responder customers better prepared to do their important work. Our goal is to keep these brave men and women mission-ready, and our new ricin assay will do just that.” Ricin is a poison made from castor beans; it is lethal even in small quantities. In 2003 two letters containing ricin were sent through the mail, one to the White House. Both letters were seized at the post office before anyone was exposed.

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.