CML HealthCare Inc. to Install North America's First and World's Largest Fully Automated BD Kiestra™ Microbiology Platform

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CML HealthCare Inc. (TSX: CLC) (the "Company" or "CML"), a leading community-based provider of laboratory and medical imaging services in Ontario and British Columbia, and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced an agreement for CML to install two BD Kiestra™ Total Laboratory Automation ("TLA") systems. This fully automated microbiology system will be installed at CML's central laboratory by the third quarter of 2013. The BD Kiestra™ TLA system is designed to significantly increase overall microbiology lab productivity, streamline workflow, and shorten the time to results.  

"We are very excited to be the first laboratory services provider in North America to be installing the BD Kiestra™ TLA system.  With our central laboratory processing approximately three million microbiology tests annually, this installation will be the largest in the world for the BD Kiestra™ TLA system," said Thomas Wellner, President and CEO of CML. "The implementation of the BD Kiestra™ TLA system will allow CML to increase our capacity, reduce result turnaround times, and contribute to the growth of our core laboratory business.  It will provide us with a significant competitive advantage and support a key pillar of our growth strategy which is to establish innovative hospital and other partnerships."

BD Kiestra™ TLA system automates the manual processes associated with inoculating and incubating microbiology specimens, and uses digital imaging of the inoculated specimens to shorten the time to detect bacterial growth. The increased efficiency, and quality improvements associated with automation allow for faster delivery of more accurate results to provide optimal patient care. In addition, laboratory staff is able to devote more time to analytical and value-added tasks.

"BD is proud to be working with CML HealthCare Inc., one of Canada's largest and most forward-looking laboratory services providers," said Tom Polen, President, BD Diagnostics - Diagnostic Systems. "Rapid diagnosis and treatment of infections is critical; however, many of the traditional testing protocols take two or three days to generate an actionable result.  Using the BD Kiestra™ TLA system, integrated with other rapid diagnostic technologies, CML will be a pioneer in implementing technology that can often reduce those times significantly.  We expect this to enable clinicians to provide patients with the most effective treatment earlier – thus improving the standard of care and avoiding unnecessary healthcare costs."

The BD Kiestra™ TLA system currently has an installation base of instruments at public hospitals, universities, and privately owned laboratories in more than eleven countries worldwide since its introduction in 2006.

About CML HealthCare Inc.

Based in Mississauga, Ontario, CML HealthCare Inc. is a leading community-based, medical diagnostic services provider in Canada operating 114 Client C.A.R.E. Centres in Ontario, 84 imaging centres in Ontario and British Columbia, and a reference laboratory in Ontario focused on specialized coagulation testing and equipment calibration for international customers.  CML is publicly-traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CLC" and has approximately 89.8 million common shares outstanding. For more information, please visit www.cmlhealthcare.com or follow CML on Twitter @cmlhealthcare.

About BD

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 30,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

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SOURCE BD-Becton Dickinson