Abbott wins Wall Street Journal technology innovation award

Abbott has been named as the overall Gold winner of the 2009 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards for its Ibis T5000 Biosensor System, it has emerged.

The system, which was completed in 2005, was singled out for its ability to alert health officials to new disease strains, as well as its potential to tackle bioterrorism and enable hospitals to identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

It is designed is designed to detect and identify a wide range of infectious agents through samples, including viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Stafford O’Kelly, head of Abbott’s molecular diagnostics business, explained: “Abbott is dedicated to pursuing innovation to find meaningful solutions that improve lives. This technology represents scientific innovation at its very best, and Abbott is honoured to receive this important award.”

The firm received further recognition for its achievements this month when it was named as one of the best organisations at which to start a career by industry magazine BusinessWeek.