Phytronix Technologies, Agilent Technologies to Co-Market Phytronix Laser Diode Thermal Desorption Ion Source with Agilent Mass Spectrometers

QUEBEC, Canada, and SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 1, 2009

Phytronix Technologies Inc. and Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced today they have signed a non-exclusive co-marketing agreement to promote the Phytronix Laser Diode Thermal Desorption (LDTD) Ion Source with Agilent mass spectrometers. The LDTD Ion Source, used with an Agilent MS/MS, for example, offers ultra fast sample analysis for both quantitative and qualitative applications in high-throughput environments such as drug discovery processes (ADMET and DMPK), toxicology, forensics, food safety, and environmental applications.

The LDTD complements Agilent’s 1200 Series HPLC-Chip/MS. The latter provides on-line LC/MS at nanoflow rates that are well-suited to applications where sample amount is limited. The LDTD is based on a shotgun approach which uses the separation power of the mass spectrometer for high throughput small molecule quantization in a myriad of applications.

Agilent and Phytronix have co-developed the interface between the LDTD and Agilent mass spectrometers to provide life science users with throughput that can exceed 20,000 samples per week.

Under the agreement, the companies will co-market the LDTD and Agilent mass spectrometer systems with each company responsible for its individual products. Agilent will sell and support its mass spectrometers and Phytronix will sell and support the LDTD and the interface between the LDTD and Agilent mass spectrometers. Each company will co-promote their products at industry tradeshows and conferences.

“The combination of the LDTD with Agilent mass spectrometers provides a powerful tool for life science researchers,” said Jean Lacoursière, Phytronix’s President. “In particular the LDTD combined with the new Agilent 6530 Accurate-Mass Q-TOF and 6460 Triple Quadrupole instruments provides researchers with exceptional sensitivity and analytical speed. This LDTD-Agilent mass spectrometer system allows, for example, pharmacokinetic studies in less than 10 minutes as well as enzyme inhibition trials in 18 minutes rather than the 10 hours presently required with current methods of analysis.”

Ken Miller, Global Sr. Marketing Manager for Mass Spectrometry at Agilent, added, “The Phytronix LDTD system will be very complementary to the Agilent nanoflow HPLC-Chip technology. The LDTD ion source offers some added capabilities such as a run-time of 4 seconds per sample for high throughput analysis. Many of our customers have asked for the integration of the Phytronix system with our 6000 Series LC/MS products, especially the Agilent 6400 Series Triple Quadrupole LC/MS/MS system.”

Agilent manufactures and markets life science and chemical analysis solutions and is a worldwide leader in mass spectrometry, with powerful, reliable LC/MS solutions for applications as diverse as discovery of cancer biomarkers and quantification of pesticides in food and water. Phytronix provides innovative front end ionization sources for mass spectrometry (MS) for global workflow solutions in high throughput analysis.

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About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company’s 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $5.8 billion in fiscal year 2008. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

About Phytronix Technologies, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Phytronix Technologies is based in Québec City, province of Québec, Canada. The company produces and markets laboratory scientific instruments and exports LDTD Ion Source around the world. Since its establishment, the company shows a growth of 20 to 50 percent per year. Information about Phytronix is available on the Web at www.Phytronix.com.

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