Cepheid Selected as Vendor of Choice by Connecticut Hospital Association Shared Services Program for Molecular MRSA Surveillan...( CHA Shared Services Program Represen...),Health

CHA Shared Services Program Represents 164 Acute Care Member Hospitals in

Nine States

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD) today announced it has been selected as vendor of choice by the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) Shared Services Program for molecular surveillance testing of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with Cepheid's GeneXpert(R) Systems and Xpert(TM) MRSA test. Under the terms of the agreement, which includes a minimum purchase commitment, CHA Shared Services Program will exclusively market Cepheid's GeneXpert Systems and Xpert MRSA test kits to up to 164 of its acute care member hospitals at pre-negotiated prices. The CHA Shared Services Program membership reaches across nine states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Illinois, Wyoming, and Iowa. Illinois state law mandates surveillance of MRSA in hospitals and four of the other states have introduced legislation to prevent and control health care associated infections.

"This agreement with the CHA Shared Services Program extends access of the GeneXpert System to 164 large and small healthcare providers," said Rob Koska, Cepheid's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Commercial Operations. "The CHA Shared Services Program membership is comprised of hospitals ranging in size from less than 50 beds to well over 800 beds. Cepheid is making it both technically and economically possible for institutions of any size to get the two hour turnaround time -- including sample collection to delivered result -- that is vital to surveillance programs looking to reduce costly and deadly Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs)."

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