PerkinElmer to support Saudi Arabian newborn screening programme

PerkinElmer yesterday announced an agreement with a Saudi Arabian hospital and research centre to support its expanded neonatal screening programme.

Instrumentation, software, reagents and screening expertise will be provided to the facility in Riyadh under the multi-year deal, which aims to double its screening capacity by the end of next year.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre is Saudi Arabia’s leading provider of neonatal screening for genetic disorders and aims to screen some 400,000 newborns by the end of 2009, according to PerkinElmer.

The company adds that the deal will result in the hospital’s programme for screening for one genetic disorder in newborns being expanded to allow tests for four conditions.

President and chief operating officer of PerkinElmer Robert F Friel commented: "PerkinElmer is committed to supporting early detection programs worldwide with leading neonatal screening technology designed to identify infants at risk for devastating metabolic disorders, enabling early intervention and treatment to save lives and improve quality of life."

Last month, the company celebrated ten years of in-orbit operation of its Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard for GPS in space satellite applications.