NEW YORK, March 1 (GenomeWeb News) - Cepheid yesterday said it has received a second purchase order for 323 of its GeneXpert modules under the United States Postal Service Biohazard Detection System program. The company also reported quadrupled revenues and narrowed losses for the fourth quarter of 2004.
The new order is part of the second phase of the project, under which Cepheid already received a purchase order for 300 units last month. The company has also been installing 800 GeneXpert modules that were ordered for the first phase of the project.
Cepheid booked $20.3 in revenues for the quarter, up from $5.3 million during the same quarter in 2003. Most of this increase came from product sales related to the United States Postal Service Biohazard Detection System and, to a lesser extent, from sales to life sciences and clinical genetic-assessment customers, according to Cepheid.
R&D costs increased slightly, to $4.4 million, from $3.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2003.
Cepheid's net loss for the quarter amounted to $3 million, or $.7 per share, down from $4.5 million, or $.13 per share, during the same period a year earlier.
The company said it plans to introduce new clnical products for GBS and enterovirus on its GeneXpert platform this year, and to launch at least 10 new ASR products.
As of Dec. 31, 2004, Cepheid had $23.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, and $34.3 million in marketable securities.