Hologic's New Tomcat Pre-analytical Sample Processing Instrument to be Featured at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting

BEDFORD, Mass., May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (NASDAQ: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostic products, medical imaging systems and surgical products, with an emphasis on serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced that its new Tomcat instrument will be showcased at the 114^th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (asm2014) at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center, in Boston, Massachusetts from May 17 - 20^th. The Tomcat instrument is a fully automated general purpose platform designed to ease the strain of pre-analytical sample processing by eliminating the inefficient and error-prone activities required to manually aliquot samples. The Company expects to begin commercial shipments of the Tomcat instrument in June 2014.

"The full automation of Hologic's Tomcat instrument eases the burden of manual sample transfer steps and helps low- to high-volume laboratories streamline workflow and enhance productivity," said Rohan Hastie, PhD, Hologic's Division President, Diagnostics. "Adding our Tomcat instrument to the Company's family of molecular testing systems extends our commitment to give customers more freedom and control over their workflow."

The design of Hologic's Tomcat instrument incorporates Lean principles to deliver increased value through automation. The Tomcat instrument performs a full range of sample processing activities for liquid-based cytology samples - from de-capping and capping of sample tubes, to vortexing, aliquoting, incubating, and racking of each sample. The instrument also provides positive barcode matching for each sample as well as reagent addition if desired. By eliminating repetitive manual steps, the Tomcat instrument can help laboratories reduce hands-on time and enhance workflow efficiency while improving the quality of each result.

Featuring a standardized aliquoting process, the Tomcat instrument accommodates multiple sample types concurrently, with the ability to continuously load and unload samples and consumables. The instrument is designed to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, with limited hands-on interactions and an intuitive touchscreen interface.

The Tomcat instrument is the latest addition to Hologic's family of automated molecular testing systems which include: the Panther system, a random and continuous access, fully automated molecular testing platform designed with the flexibility to handle a wide range of testing needs, and the Tigris system, the first fully automated, high-throughput molecular testing system for large laboratories.

The Tomcat instrument and the Panther system will be on display at Hologic's booth #901 at the asm2014 General Meeting. For more information about Hologic's molecular diagnostic technology, please visit www.hologic.com or www.gen-probe.com.

About Hologic, Inc.:

Hologic, Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostic products, medical imaging systems and surgical products, with an emphasis on serving the healthcare needs of women. The Company operates four core business units focused on breast health, diagnostics, GYN surgical and skeletal health. With a comprehensive suite of technologies and a robust research and development program, Hologic is committed to improving lives. The Company is headquartered in Massachusetts.

Hologic, Panther, Tigris, Tomcat and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

Forward-looking Statement Disclaimer:

This News Release may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the use of Hologic's molecular diagnostic products. There can be no assurance these products will achieve the benefits described herein and that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient as the actual effect of the use of the products can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances and patient in question. Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements presented herein to reflect any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such data or statements are based.

SOURCE Hologic, Inc.