SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced it has presented the 2011 Manfred Donike Award for scientific excellence in sports-doping testing to Simon Beuck and Nicolas Leuenberger.

Agilent sponsors this annual award to recognize distinguished scientific contributions in doping analysis. Award winners are scientists who exemplify the spirit and scientific leadership of doping control pioneer Manfred Donike, and whose contributions significantly increase fairness in sports competition.

Beuck and Leuenberger will each receive a cash award and a medallion.

Beuck is a researcher at the Center of Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University, Cologne. He was honored for his work with the research group of Wilhelm Schänzer and Mario Thevis to develop LC-MS/MS-based analytical assays to detect abuse of hypoxia-inducible factor stabilizers. These substances have been shown to increase blood erythropoietin and hemoglobin levels, even by oral administration. They are banned from sports.

Beuck identified the metabolites of HIF-stabilizers by in vitro experiments, using LC-MS/MS and LC-(MS)-NMR. His work permits the implementation of these substances in existing sports doping-control procedures, before approval of the compounds on the pharmaceutical market. This is, therefore, an excellent example of preventive doping research.

Leuenberger is with the Swiss Laboratory for doping analysis of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne. He was honored for his work with the research group of Martial Saugy, investigating circulating microRNAs as stable biomarkers for erythropoiesis-stimulating agent abuse. He used microRNA microassays and quantitative real-time PCR to show an increase of specific circulating microRNAs in serum samples of healthy people after treatment with the erythropoiesis-stimulating agent CERA.

The results might also enable use of these novel biomarkers to detect other doping substances and methods such as growth hormone or autologous blood transfusion. The circulating microRNA assay is minimally invasive, requiring only a small amount of blood obtainable from a fingertip.

The research projects were supported by the World Anti-Doping Agency, Germany’s Ministry of the Interior and Antidoping Switzerland.

Agilent in Sports Doping Control

For nearly 40 years, Agilent has developed a strong reputation in analytical instruments and methods for drug testing in sports. In 1972, Agilent supplied analytical instrumentation to the lab serving the first Olympic Games (in Munich, Germany) in which testing was required. Since then, Agilent technology has played a role with drug-testing labs serving each of the Olympic Games as well as major events such as the World Cup and the Tour de France.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company’s 18,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.4 billion in fiscal 2010. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.