PRESS RELEASE

Mercodia commercializes HyTest's proprietary IGFBP-4 fragments technology; A novel risk marker for cardiovascular disease.

TURKU, FINLAND, December 12, 2013 – HyTest and Mercodia AB have signed a licensing agreement that gives the Sweden-based company exclusive rights to develop and manufacture kits and assays for research purposes using HyTest's proprietary IGFBP-4 fragments technology. Initial studies have shown that detection of IGFBP-4 fragments could serve as a predictor of the near-term risk of acute coronary syndromes and stroke.

"Bringing new diagnostic markers to the market is increasingly demanding and requires a number of scientific studies which help to evaluate the value of a new marker" comments Maria Severina (CEO of HyTest). She adds that "It is essential that these studies are done using high quality research assays and kits. Because of this requirement we chose to work with Mercodia.  In addition, their existing product portfolio overlaps with our new technology and this creates synergies".

Mona Österberg (CEO of Mercodia AB) comments "We are excited about this opportunity as cardiovascular diseases are becoming a global health burden in developed as well as in developing economies and there is an increasing need for new risk markers". She adds, "HyTest's IGFBP-4 fragments technology is a new tool with great potential and the collaboration with HyTest puts us on the front line of CVD diagnostics development".

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Finland-based HyTest manufactures monoclonal antibodies and antigens that are used in the laboratory tests and kits of the IVD-industry. HyTest is the leading provider of specific cardiac, metabolic syndrome and infectious disease detection related raw materials and its primary customers are industrial IVD-customers and the worldwide research community.

Mercodia is an industry leader in developing highly accurate and robust immunoassays for both research and clinical applications. Mercodia specializes in ELISA assays that are used to study cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity and has over 20 years of experience in ELISA development, production and marketing. The assays are applicable to both animal and human models and are used for research ranging from basic scientific studies to large pre-clinical and clinical phase trials.

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For more information contact:

Pekka Hildén, HyTest +358-2-512 0904

email: pekka.hilden@hytest.fi.