Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Caliper screens chemicals in $1M EPA contract

By Mass High Tech Staff

Caliper Life Sciences Inc., a provider of life sciences research tools and services, has received a task order worth $1.1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ToxCast screening program to identify new ways to identify toxic chemicals.

Since April 2007, through the ToxCast screening program, Caliper has received a total of $3.6 million in task orders to screen potential environmentally toxic chemical compounds. Hopkinton-based Caliper (Nasdaq: CALP) tests pharmaceutical drug interactions, using in vitro biochemical assays, with chemicals in the environment, people and animals.

The new task order will be for further screening of 320 chemicals already tested by Caliper using 230 in vitro assays. The five-year contract allows for up to $69 million in screening services.

Through the ToxCast screening program, the EPA plans expand screening to other compounds and develop in vitro assays to replace current in vivo tests getting regulatory clearance.

Last October, Caliper reported a $7 million contract to supply government researchers of the National Institutes of Environmental Health Services with genetically-modified mice.

Caliper, which provides instruments, reagents and software for life sciences research, reported a 2007 net loss of $24.1 million on revenue of $140.7 million. The firm employs 550 workers.