Business
Kromek awarded new DARPA bio-threat contract
Kromek awarded new DARPA bio-threat contract.
About this update from Kromek Group Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \n \n \n RNS Number : 7174B\n Kromek Group PLC\n 14 June 2021\n \n \n \n \n THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF EU REGULATION 596/2014 (WHICH FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC UK LAW PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. \n \n \n 14 June 2021\n \n \n Kromek Group plc\n \n \n (\"Kromek\" or the \"Group\")\n \n \n \n Kromek awarded c. $6m contract by DARPA to further develop its bio-threat detection system \n \n \n \n Phase II to \n \n further develop the functionality of\n \n technology to detect and identify pathogens and include a networked solution\n \n \n \n Kromek (AIM: KMK), a worldwide supplier of detection technology focusing on the medical, security screening and nuclear markets, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a new c. $6m contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (\"DARPA\"), an agency of the US Department of Defense, for Phase II of its development of a biological threat detection system that senses, analyses and identifies airborne pathogens. Kromek will deliver the contract over the next 28-month period, commencing immediately. \n \n \n \n \n Phases I and II are an extension of the existing SIGMA network for biological threats as part of DARPA's SIGMA+ initiative. Phase II follows the successful completion of Phase I where key milestones achieved over the past two years included the development of a vehicle-mounted biological-threat identifier as well as a miniaturised mobile wide-area bio-surveillance system. This new contract takes the overall programme value awarded to Kromek to c. $13m.\n \n \n \n \n \n Phase II will seek to deliver a completely automated wide spectrum airborne pathogen detection system that is fully mobile and runs autonomously. Also, systems will be designed to be networked where data is stored, shared and further analysed and provide real-time information to decision makers. Key milestones under Phase II include the creation of beta units as well as final design and build of systems for extended field trials. In addition to the design process, \n the bioinformatics methodologies will be refined as data is collected for both enhanced performanc...