Adelaide, Australia, 10 June 2016: The co-founder and Chief Executive of Australian laboratory automation company LBT Innovations Limited (LBT), Mrs Lusia Guthrie, has been appointed Chair of Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS) for a 2-year period from June 2016.
Mrs Guthrie, who will retire from LBT Innovations in August, will replace Klaus-Gunter Eberle, who has chaired CCS since its formation in 2013. Mr Eberle will remain as a Director on the CCS Board.
Based in Zurich, Clever Culture Systems (CCS) is a joint venture company set up by laboratory instrument maker Hettich AG Switzerland and LBT Innovations Limited (Australia) to drive the commercialisation of LBT’s ground-breaking Automated Plate Assessment System (APAS®). Under the agreement, the two companies hold 50:50 ownership in the JV Company.
Mrs Guthrie said, “After many years of close involvement with the development of APAS® and other technologies at LBT, I now look forward to working more closely with the Hettich team as we move closer towards commercialisation and realising the potential worldwide of our joint venture.”
LBT Innovations Chairman, Mr Bob Finder, said, “Lusia is the ideal candidate to lead Clever Culture Systems into the next phase of its work. Her intimate knowledge of how our products have evolved over the past ten years will be invaluable as we seek additional markets across the globe.”
LBT is working closely with Hettich’s engineers to develop and bring to market laboratory equipment integrated with APAS®. The first of these instruments, an automated culture plate reader called APAS® Independence, is expected to be in -market in early 2017.
A positive meeting was held in Washington DC in May at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify some points around the 510(k) de novo submission for the APAS® technology. Overall, LBT is pleased with the progress to date with FDA. CCS is also continuing detailed discussions with potential global licensing partners.
Mrs Guthrie will continue to actively lead LBT for the remainder of her tenure. When LBT’s incoming CEO Brent Barnes takes up his new role in August, Mrs Guthrie will continue in a consulting role to assist transitional arrangements.
About LBT Innovations
LBT Innovations (LBT) is an Australian developer of clinical and diagnostic technology. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, the Company has two breakthrough products in microbiology automation: MicroStreak®, which provides automation of culture plate streaking, and APAS®, a breakthrough in automated culture plate reading, interpretation and reporting. Based on LBT’s innovative intelligent image interpretative platform. APAS® specifically addresses the automated imaging, analysis and interpretation of culture plates following incubation. LBT has entered into a joint venture with Hettich AG Switzerland to drive the commercialization of APAS® products. LBT also has a third product in development, WoundVue®, a proposed automation solution to assist in the management of chronic wounds. For more information, see www.lbtinnovations.com
About Clever Culture Systems AG
Clever Culture Systems AG is the Zurich-based 50:50 joint venture between LBT Innovations and Hettich AG Switzerland, a world-class laboratory equipment manufacturer based in Switzerland. Clever Culture Systems brings the complementary skills and expertise of both companies together in an area of laboratory medicine, microbiology, where innovative technologies offer opportunities for greater efficiencies and more responsive patient care.
CONTACTS
LBT Innovations
Lusia Guthrie
CEO
Tel: +61 (0)8 8227 1555
Clever Culture Systems
Peter Bradley
General Manager
Tel: +61 (0)8 8227 1555
E: pmb@cleverculturesystems.com
Media Relations
Dean Felton
Monsoon Communications
Tel: +61 (0)411 698 499
Monsoon Communications
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Melbourne VIC 3000
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