TEWKSBURY, Mass., – Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced a software and library update for Thermo Scientific TruNarc, a handheld narcotics analyzer that is designed to provide reliable drug identification for law enforcement personnel in the field. TruNarc software version 1.2 doubles the number of synthetic cathinones in the library (as compared to previous versions) and adds numerous emerging threats, including additional synthetic cathinones or “bath salts,” as well as bulk cannabinoids, known as Spice, K2 or synthetic marijuana. This critical capability enables law enforcement personnel, particularly customs and border patrol officials, to identify these bulk substances before they can be dissolved in a solvent and sprayed on various plant materials to be consumed.

The war on drugs continues to evolve, with new synthetic drugs entering the market and drawing the focus of national and local law enforcement personnel. In July 2012, a major coordinated law enforcement action, Operation Log Jam, specifically targeted these dangerous and unpredictable substances and led to the seizure of 4.8 million packets of synthetic cannabinoids and 167,000 packets of synthetic cathinones, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Also seized were raw materials to produce an additional 13.6 million cannabinoid packets and 392,000 cathinone packets.

To address the needs of our growing worldwide customer base, the TruNarc analyzer and companion TruNarc Admin software are now available in five language configurations: English, Chinese, Polish, Russian and Spanish. The library also includes several regional priority substances, including the “Happy 5 Pill” (Nimetazepam) and GHB/GBL, which are of primary concern in Southeast Asia, and d,l-amphetamine HCl and Cocaine HCl in aqueous solution, key priorities in Europe.

“At launch, we committed to ongoing TruNarc library updates to help our customers stay ahead of emerging threats such as synthetic narcotics,” said Joe Smith, director, product management, for Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments. “The introduction of bulk cannabinoid identification meets this commitment and is in direct response to input from our global customer base. Further, by adding multiple language configurations, we’re able to reach an even broader audience in critical markets worldwide.”

Launched in February 2012, TruNarc® is gaining traction worldwide for field-based narcotics identification, potentially replacing more subjective colorimetric test kits that have been in use for decades. In addition to synthetic drug identification, the TruNarc analyzer is designed to rapidly identify more common narcotics such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy) in a single test. The TruNarc analyzer is based on Raman spectroscopy, a technique accepted by the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs as a Category A analytical technique. TruNarc is designed to enable reliable, lab-quality identification while the intuitive user interface eliminates subjective interpretation. Further, many substances can be analyzed through plastic or glass, reducing exposure to hazardous material, improving preservation of evidence and increasing officer safety.

In addition to fast, accurate analysis, TruNarc was designed to reduce the time and expense associated with drug-related arrests. Once a substance is analyzed, results are automatically captured for reporting and evidence using the companion TruNarc Admin software for submission with arrest reports. Automatic date-stamped reports can help streamline the path to prosecution and reduce time-consuming paperwork and court delays.

For more information about TruNarc: www.thermoscientific.com/trunarc.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With revenues of $12 billion, we have approximately 39,000 employees and serve customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as in environmental and process control industries. We create value for our key stakeholders through three premier brands, Thermo Scientific, Fisher Scientific and Unity™ Lab Services, which offer a unique combination of innovative technologies, convenient purchasing options and a single solution for laboratory operations management. Our products and services help our customers solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Visit www.thermofisher.com.