STMicroelectronics and Veredus Laboratories announced positive test results and the commercial availability of VereFlu(TM), a portable lab-on-chip application which can detect and identify all the major influenza viruses, including the deadly bird flu virus H5N1.

"We are pleased to report that our evaluation trials show the suitability of the VereFlu diagnostic application for field testing and deployment," said Associate Professor Raymond Lin, Head of Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital in Singapore, where the product manufactured by the European company was tested. "The diagnostic reliability of this novel device makes it a powerful weapon against future influenza pandemics," Lin said.

STMicro is based in Geneva and is Europe's largest semiconductor maker. It has partnered in this project with Singapore-based partner Veredus Laboratories Pte to develop the lab-on-chip which can detect in less than two hours with 99 percent accuracy more than 10 flu strains, including the bird flu virus H5N1.

"The launch of VereFlu marks a substantial breakthrough in enabling rapid identification of the infectious agent to limit the spread of the disease and speed patients' treatment," said Gian Luca Bertino, Corporate VP and General Manager of ST's Computer Peripherals Group.