Sparton Corporation to Manufacture PathoGenetix RESOLUTION Microbial Genotyping System

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sparton Corporation SPA has been chosen by PathoGenetix, Inc. as the design and manufacturing partner for their RESOLUTION™ Microbial Genotyping System. PathoGenetix, is a developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial strain typing. Under the terms of the agreement, Sparton will conduct design for manufacture and pilot production of a limited number of pre-commercial instruments for the RESOLUTION System, which is slated for commercial availability in late 2014.

The RESOLUTION System is the first commercial application of PathoGenetix's proprietary Genome Sequence Scanning™ (GSS™) technology, and has been developed for food safety testing in both the food industry and in public health foodborne illness outbreak investigations. The RESOLUTION System enables pathogen serotype identification and strain typing in just five hours, directly from complex mixtures such as enriched food and clinical samples. The bacterial strain information provided by the RESOLUTION System is comparable to pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), the current gold standard for pathogen typing in foodborne illness outbreak investigation and response.

“We are thrilled to be working with Sparton as our contract manufacturing organization, and to reach this significant milestone in the commercialization of the RESOLUTION Microbial Genotyping System,” said Paul Krassnoff, Director of Manufacturing for PathoGenetix.

Sparton is a premier partner in the design as well as full production manufacture of class I, II, and III instruments for highly specialized medical, biotechnology, and life science technologies. “We are proud to partner with PathoGenetix on the RESOLUTION System and bring our experience in design and development to benefit this novel technology,” said Mike Gaul, Group Vice-President of Medical Manufacturing for Sparton. “We are energized to begin the project and help PathoGenetix bring this instrument closer to commercialization.”

Pre-commercial units of the RESOLUTION System are currently undergoing testing and evaluation by government and food industry partners. Earlier this month, PathoGenetix shipped a pre-commercial version of the RESOLUTION System to Marshfield Food Safety, LLC, under an agreement with the Wisconsin-based microbiology- and chemistry-testing laboratory to conduct independent testing and feedback on use of the RESOLUTION System for pathogen confirmation and identification in food industry applications.

About Sparton Corporation

Sparton Corporation SPA, now in its 114th year, is a provider of complex and sophisticated electromechanical devices with capabilities that include concept development, industrial design, design and manufacturing engineering, production, distribution, field service, and refurbishment. The primary markets served are Medical & Biotechnology, Military & Aerospace, and Industrial & Commercial. Headquartered in Schaumburg, IL, Sparton currently has seven manufacturing locations worldwide. Sparton's Web site may be accessed at http://www.sparton.com.

About PathoGenetix™, Inc.

PathoGenetix, Inc., is a commercial-stage developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial identification from complex samples. PathoGenetix is a venture-backed company that has received more than $50 million in technology development funding from the Department of Homeland Security. The company's core Genome Sequence Scanning™ (GSS™) technology isolates and analyzes DNA directly from an enriched biological sample—without the need for a cultured isolate—and provides results in just five hours, days faster than current methods. GSS has broad applicability in food safety, industrial microbiology, and clinical diagnostics and research. The first commercial GSS system will be available in 2014 for use in food safety testing and foodborne illness outbreak investigations. Learn more at www.pathogenetix.com.

Safe Harbor and Fair Disclosure Statement

Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: To the extent any statements made in this release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting future results, the regulatory environment, fluctuations in operating results and other risks detailed from time to time in Sparton's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The matters discussed in this press release may also involve risks and uncertainties concerning Sparton's services described in Sparton's filings with the SEC. In particular, see the risk factors described in Sparton's most recent Form 10K and Form 10Q. Sparton assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.