Nouvelles

Nikon Instruments Inc. today announced it has entered into an exclusive agreement to integrate WebSlide(R) virtual microscopy software from Bacus Laboratories Inc. with the enhanced version of Nikon's fully automated and digital COOLSCOPE VS. This new agreement will enable pathologists, educators, and researchers to produce, view and distribute virtual slide images of their own glass slides specimens.

"The combination of COOLSCOPE's integration of digital imaging and automated web- enabled microscopy functions with Bacus Laboratories Virtual Microscopy Software has created a fantastic product synergy between these two technologies. This product union brings significant and important benefits to diagnosticians, scientists and educators," said Mr. Lee Shuett, Executive Vice President, Nikon Instruments Inc. "Nikon is committed to enabling our clients to perform as efficiently and productively as possible."

By combining Bacus' software technology with COOLSCOPE's digital capabilities, users will be able to capture at high resolution the entire

specimen area or portions of it and then automatically assemble it into a virtual slide to view the specimen virtually as they would looking into their microscope. COOLSCOPE's VS web-enabled and network ready system combined with the WebSlide Software suite allows the virtual capture and viewing process to take place through a standard Internet connection. The virtual slide images that are produced are immediately available for local or remote viewing via the Internet or Intranet.

"With my first look at COOLSCOPE I realized Nikon's technology would positively enable the widespread use of Virtual Microscopy," said Dr. James Bacus, President, Bacus Laboratories. "This technology was previously only available to the largest, well-funded teaching and research institutions. Our combined technologies will make Virtual Microscopy a reality in nearly any laboratory setting. We are very happy to provide Nikon customers with the best of our technology, including our widely acclaimed WebSlide capture software, together with the suite of our server, SlideTray and platform independent viewers for local Intranet and Internet viewing of WebSlide images in this affordable and easy to use package that Nikon's COOLSCOPE VS offers."

About Bacus Laboratories Inc.

Bacus Laboratories, Inc., located in the Chicago suburban area, pioneered virtual microscopy in the mid 1990's. The company, a leader and innovator in virtual microscopy, also has products for quantitative pathology and tissue microarray imaging. They are the leading provider of virtual microscopy as a replacement for glass slides and microscopes in medical education. The company, founded in 1994 has 10 US patents in Internet based virtual microscopy and related digital imaging methods. Their proprietary WebSlide(R) virtual slide format, server software, and viewing software, provide cost effective solutions for digital microscopy. For further information, contact Bacus Laboratories at (630) 424-9750