MMTL Receives Certificate of Compliance after Independent Evaluation
ENV Services certifies the mobile lab while stationed at Brooks City Base in San Antonio, Texas
January 25, 2007, San Antonio, Texas — Vital Probes, Inc. delivered the Mobile Molecular Testing Laboratory (MMTL®) to the Air Force in November 2005 as a result of a competitive Department of Defense contract award. Since that time the MMTL has undergone a detailed assessment, validation and certification process prior to being put into service.
The MMTL is a completely deployable 39 foot vehicle that contains Biosafety Level 2
and 3 (BSL-2 & BSL-3) zones and the latest and most advanced technology for the handling of biological agents, pathogens of military significance, and endemic infectious disease agents. Inside the MMTL proteins, nucleic acids and toxins of biological agents will be extracted for further investigation.
The MMTL was built in response to a pivotal problem faced by armed forces and emergency response personnel: the transfer of suspect biological agents to approved testing laboratories. The transfer of biological agents can cause time delays and compromise the chain of evidence. By conducting pathogen detection tests on site, the MMTL has the potential to prevent the loss of human lives and adverse effects to the economy.
Fulfilling the need for mobile molecular laboratories in homeland security, the military, airports, and emergency response is a critical component to improve rapid detection of suspect biological agents. The MMTL is designed to fill a critical gap in military force protection, rapid diagnostics, epidemiology, and preventive medicine.
“The MMTL will facilitate emergency crews’ rapid response to acts of terrorism, biological warfare and infectious disease outbreaks,” said Dr. Vito G. DelVecchio, CEO of Vital Probes. “It was built to accommodate unique situations and incidents in order to provide a safer work environment for emergency responders where continuous sample collection and analysis can be performed.”
The site survey conducted by ENV Services analyzed every aspect of laboratory function in both Biosafety zones (BSL-2 & BSL-3). It was conducted in accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guidelines for Laboratory Biosafety Level Criteria Level 3. Other support documentation sourced for the purpose of the evaluation by ENV Services were the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories 4th Edition and the World Health Organization’s Safety Manual 3rd Edition.
The MMTL can be built according to customer specifications. MMTL is a registered trademark of Vital Probes, Inc.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Vital Probes, Inc.
Paul Grewal, COO
Tel. 570-281-2504
pgrewal@vitalprobes.com
