Cepheid Teams With Paul Jr. Designs to Unveil All-New Family of GeneXpert Systems at "Art Meets Innovation" Event

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cepheid (NASDAQ: CPHD) today hosted 'Art Meets Innovation,' an event teaming Cepheid and Paul Jr. Designs for the unveiling of Cepheid's redesigned GeneXpert® family of systems at the 2011 American Association of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta, GA. The unveiling of the redesigned GeneXpert family also introduces the new two-module and Infinity-80 systems to the product line. The redesigned GeneXpert family utilizes the same proven module and Xpert® test cartridge design as the previous systems. To further highlight the product introductions, a custom motorcycle designed and built by Paul Jr. Designs was also unveiled live to attendees. The innovative bike design captures Cepheid's unique brand while leveraging the look and feel of the new GeneXpert Systems. The event took place at 10am at Cepheid booth #431.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110726/LA41177-a)

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110726/LA41177-b)

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110726/LA41177-c)

"We've taken the most innovative testing platform on the market and made it even more compelling with a smaller footprint, 21st century design aesthetics, and additional system configurations," said John Bishop, Cepheid's Chief Executive Officer. "Our new GeneXpert Infinity-80 system is stacked with features that make it the industry's highest throughput, most efficient, and easiest to use molecular diagnostic system, all in the same size footprint as the existing Infinity-48. Further highlighting the introduction of these significant new products is the brilliant work of Paul Jr. Designs, leading innovators in their field, who have delivered a spectacular work of art exceeding our expectations."

The live Art Meets Innovation unveiling event was also filmed for the popular Discovery Channel show American Chopper. The two-part episode featuring Cepheid and the new GeneXpert Systems is expected to air in the fourth quarter of this year.

"We are exceptionally proud of this bike and what it represents for Cepheid and the molecular diagnostics industry," said Paul Teutul Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Paul Jr. Designs. "Cepheid's products are literally saving lives with the most innovative technology available. The bike is a great tribute to Cepheid's products, people, and their collective mission of transforming healthcare with accurate, fast, and easy-to-use molecular diagnostics."

Cepheid's new one, two, four, and sixteen module GeneXpert Systems will begin shipping August 1st, 2011. The GeneXpert Infinity-80 is expected to be available to the European market in the fourth quarter of this year and to the US market in the first half of 2012. Meanwhile, the proven GeneXpert Infinity-48 System will continue to be available to customers who want the only fully automated, high throughput molecular system available today. For more information on the new systems, please visit www.genexpert.com or www.cepheidinnovation.com.

About Cepheid

Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD) is a leading molecular diagnostics company that is dedicated to improving healthcare by developing, manufacturing, and marketing accurate yet easy-to-use molecular systems and tests. By automating highly complex and time-consuming manual procedures, the company's solutions deliver a better way for institutions of any size to perform sophisticated genetic testing for organisms and genetic-based diseases. Through its strong molecular biology capabilities, the company is focusing on those applications where accurate, rapid, and actionable test results are needed most, such as managing infectious diseases and cancer. For more information, visit http://www.cepheid.com.

About Paul Jr. Designs

Although, Paul Jr. has always been mechanically inclined, it wasn't until he was 25 that he realized the depth of his creativity. In 1999, he created the now world-famous logo for Orange County Choppers, a custom motorcycle business he co-founded in upstate New York. With his talent and eye for design, he went on to create some of the most recognizable theme choppers in the world, including the Black Widow Bike, the Fire Bike and the Jet Bike, as well as working with some of the top companies in the world such as Intel, NASA and Gillette. After ten years in the steel business and ten years building custom motorcycles and a brand through OCC, he is taking all he has learned and applying it to his new company, Paul Jr. Designs. For more information visit http://www.pauljrdesigns.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not purely historical regarding Cepheid's or its management's intentions, beliefs, expectations and strategies for the future, including those relating to planned new product releases, product performance and future market opportunities. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from the company's current expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as those relating to: unforeseen manufacturing problems; uncertainties in the regulatory review process for new products; customer and market acceptance of our products; the failure of products to perform as fast or as accurately as expected, whether due to manufacturing errors, defects or otherwise; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and underlying market conditions worldwide. Readers should also refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Cepheid's Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2010 and in its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, each filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All forward-looking statements and reasons why results might differ included in this release are made as of the date of this press release, based on information currently available to Cepheid, and Cepheid assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement or reasons why results might differ.

SOURCE Cepheid