Business Bits

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Roche Diagnostics

The US Food & Drug Administration has approved the Roche Diagnostics test for direct detection of West Nile virus in donated human blood and plasma. West Nile virus, which can cause serious health issues, is transmitted to humans most often through mosquito bites, but can also less commonly be transmitted by transfusion of infected blood or blood products. The test, called the cobas TaqScreen West Nile Virus Test, enables detection of the virus earlier in the infection cycle in donors who may show no symptoms of disease. According to the CDC, blood screening centers across the United States identified 340 donors whose blood tested positive for West Nile Virus in 2006-2007 and 23 to date in 2007.

"We are pleased to offer U.S. blood banks a new choice for both maximizing blood safety and optimizing efficiency," said Daniel O'Day, head of Roche Molecular Diagnostics. "The Roche test helps blood banks streamline workflow and improve test results accuracy with reduced hands-on time, ready-to-use reagents, and full automation of each step."
AlarmPoint Systems

AlarmPoint Systems, a software company headquartered in Hacienda, has completed a $7.5 million financing round, with JMI Equity leading the $4.5 million equity round and $3 million from Bridge Bank, N.A. AlarmPoint's applications and services enable companies to quickly and consistently manage IT events prior to business impact by targeting the appropriate IT personnel, communicating with remote personnel on their preferred voice or text device and enabling personnel to take actions to restore or repair service.

"Today's mobile IT workforce needs to manage complicated infrastructure, data center operations and service impacting events from remote locations," said Troy McAlpin, CEO of AlarmPoint Systems. "More and more enterprises are focusing on automating the event notification and resolution process to instrument, automate and ensure resolution of IT events before the business is impacted."
Trapeze Networks

Trapeze Networks announced that its business dramatically accelerated in the first half of 2007, with significant growth occurring in all geographic regions in which it operates, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Sales of Trapeze-branded products increased by more than 100 percent over the same period in 2006-2007, as the company substantially expanded its distribution channels, sales force, and global footprint. The company experienced significant traction in key vertical markets - including government, retail, healthcare, and higher education - and continued to lead the industry in WLAN technology with the recent announcement of Smart Mobile Phase Two.

"We have experienced a dramatic surge in Trapeze-branded bookings, resulting in higher profit contribution and increased predictability in our business," said Jim Vogt, president and chief executive officer, Trapeze Networks. "Trapeze-branded bookings now represent a growing majority of our total business, as we continue to drive sustained growth and increased awareness of the Trapeze Smart Mobile brand on a global scale."

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September Business Bits

Business Bits