SRI International Licenses Bed Bug Detection Technology to Redcoat, a Virginia-Based Start-Up Company

MENLO PARK, Calif, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SRI International has licensed its proprietary bed bug detection technology to Redcoat Solutions, Inc., a new company focused on developing products to detect and treat insect infestations.  Redcoat is located in Harrisonburg, VA, where SRI has a research center.

Scientists at SRI developed a rapid, sensitive test that recognizes molecules specific to bed bugs. Redcoat intends to market the device under the brand name RAPID PURSUIT™. Based on preliminary testing, RAPID PURSUIT presents a number of advantages: unlike other detection devices, the test requires no sophisticated equipment and registers a response in minutes, and RAPID PURSUIT is designed to detect only bedbugs, avoiding confusion that could be caused by the presence of other pests.

Current bed bug detection methods and products do not have the effectiveness, ease of use, affordability, and stealth of RAPID PURSUIT. Glue traps and devices that use attractants such as carbon dioxide require that a bed bug actually come into contact with the device. Visual inspection is estimated to be only 30 percent accurate.  Canine inspection, while often accurate, can be expensive and indiscreet. 

RAPID PURSUIT eliminates the need to see or handle actual bed bugs, because it detects the residue – or "footprints" – that the bugs leave behind.  It will be a powerful tool for pest control companies, hotel operators, and international travelers, among many other types of users.   

"Solving the bed bug infestation problem is a critical need for the hospitality industry and is a real battle for people living in cities in America and throughout the world," said Krishna Kodukula, Ph.D., executive director for Strategic Development, SRI Biosciences. "We are proud that research from SRI Shenandoah Valley has led to the development of a new product to help curb pest infestations.  We have the ideal partner in Redcoat."

Redcoat Solutions, Inc.'s Chief Executive Officer, John Hall, has drawn upon his knowledge of the bed bug detection and treatment industry in guiding the company toward the upcoming launch of RAPID PURSUIT.  "We have assembled an excellent management team, and we have worked closely with SRI to develop a great product that will revolutionize bed bug detection in several industries," said Hall.  "We look forward to taking RAPID PURSUIT to market very soon, and we already are at work on new products that we will introduce over the next several months.  Redcoat has a great business opportunity, and one of the best things is that it will be based right here in the Shenandoah Valley."

About SRI's Biosciences Division
SRI's Biosciences division carries out basic research, drug discovery, and drug development, and provides contract (CRO) services. SRI has all of the resources necessary to take R&D from initial discoveries to the start of human clinical trials. SRI's product pipeline has yielded marketed drugs, therapeutics currently in clinical trials, and additional programs in earlier stages. In its CRO business, SRI has helped government and commercial clients and partners advance many drugs into patient testing. SRI is also working to create the next generation of technologies in areas such as diagnostics, drug delivery, medical devices, and systems biology.

About SRI International
Innovations from SRI International have created new industries, billions of dollars of marketplace value, and lasting benefits to society—touching our lives every day. SRI, a nonprofit research and development institute based in Silicon Valley, brings its innovations to the marketplace through technology licensing, new products, and spin-off ventures. Government and business clients come to SRI for pioneering R&D and solutions in computing and communications, chemistry and materials, education, energy, health and pharmaceuticals, national defense, robotics, sensing, and more.

SOURCE SRI International