Bio-Rad announces release of beta version of the USP Spectral Library

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb), a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, today announced the release of beta version of USP Spectral Library^™ powered by Bio Rad's KnowItAll^® software technology platform for spectral analysis, identification, search, data management, and reporting.

The USP Spectral Library Project is a new interactive, authoritative, and comprehensive collection of spectral information on food and drug quality. Manufacturers can use the USP Spectral Library on the KnowItAll platform for raw material identification during routine quality control measures to confirm the identity of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients used in their products.

With applications in quality standards development, rapid screening in the field for counterfeit and substandard foods and medicines based on portable analytical technology, and the identification of raw materials as well as finished products, the USP Spectral Library can be a useful tool for regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, pharmacies, manufacturers, and distributors around the world.

To ensure the highest quality, USP generates spectra for the USP Spectral Library using the collaborative testing model for which USP is renowned. The resulting spectral databases are made available in the KnowItAll platform in a new, Bio-Rad self-validating 21 CFR Part 11-compliant quality control application called QC Expert^™.

"The USP Spectral Library has the potential to help ensure the quality of medicines and foods throughout the world," said Ed Zhao, USP's Vice President of Business Development and Allied Compendial Programs.

"Bio-Rad is honored to partner with USP on such an important project for quality control within the pharmaceutical and food industries," said Gregory M. Banik, Ph.D., General Manager, Bio-Rad Informatics. "We are delighted that Bio-Rad's KnowItAll technology platform was such a perfect fit to bring USP's innovative vision for the USP Spectral Library to commercial reality."

Learn more at http://www.knowitall.com/usp

About The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is a global health organization that improves lives through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP's standards are used worldwide. For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org.

About Bio-Rad's KnowItAll Software

Bio-Rad's award-winning KnowItAll software offers comprehensive solutions for spectral analysis, identification, search, data management, and reporting. It supports multiple instrument vendor file formats and techniques (IR, Raman, NIR, NMR, MS, UV-Vis). The software, combined with one of the world's largest spectral reference collections (over 1.4 million spectra), helps chemists extract even greater knowledge from their spectral data.

About Bio-Rad

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) has been at the center of scientific discovery for 60 years, manufacturing and distributing a broad range of products for life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned for its commitment to quality and customer service among university and research institutions, hospitals, public health and commercial laboratories, as well as the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food safety industries. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is based in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and industry customers through its global network of operations. The company employs approximately 7,750 people worldwide and had revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2013. http://www.bio-rad.com