Cepheid, Northrop Grumman Enter Into Agreement for Purchase of Anthrax Test Cartridges -- Security Today

Cepheid, Northrop Grumman Enter Into Agreement for Purchase of Anthrax Test Cartridges

Aug 16, 2007

Cepheid today announced that it has entered into a five-year master purchase order with Northrop Grumman for the purchase of up to $200 million in Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) test cartridges and associated materials. The anthrax test is currently used in Biohazard Detection Systems (BDS), installed at United States Postal Service (USPS) mail processing centers nationwide. The agreement covers the USPS fiscal years of 2007 through 2011. Cepheid began supplying USPS with GeneXpert(R) modules and anthrax test cartridges in 2003.

Under the terms of the agreement, the purchase quantity of anthrax tests will be determined on an annual basis, based on the USPS fiscal year of October 1 through September 30. Cepheid has received notice that expected test purchases for fiscal 2008 will be approximately two million cartridges.

"This agreement is a testament to the success of the ongoing program with the USPS, in which more than 5.2 million tests have been run with no false positives," stated John Bishop, Cepheid CEO. "The achievements in the biothreat market reflect the versatility and the reliability of the GeneXpert System that is now being brought to the molecular clinical diagnostic market."

The GeneXpert modules and anthrax test cartridges serve as the foundation of the BDS system. The BDS system rapidly analyzes air samples taken from the mail sorting systems in order to detect any potential trace levels of DNA from anthrax spores as mail travels through the mail processing equipment.

Featured

Community-Led Video Security Network Transforms Pennsylvania City Public Safety

A community-supported video security initiative has transformed public safety in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The citizen-led collaboration demonstrates how open platform video technology can help revitalize struggling urban areas. Read Now
- Government
Browser-Based AI Agents: The Silent Security Threat Unfolding

Some of the most revolutionary advances in artificial intelligence include browser-based AI agents, which are self-sustaining software tools integrated into web browsers that act on behalf of individuals. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Report: Cybercriminals Abandon Tech Tricks for Personalized Email Deception Tactics

VIPRE Security Group, a cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection company, has released its email threat landscape report for Q2 2025. Through an examination of worldwide real-world data, this report sounds the alarm on the most significant email security trends observed in the second quarter of 2025, enabling organizations to develop effective email security defenses for the remainder of the year. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
AI-Generated Code Poses Major Security Risks in Nearly Half of All Development Tasks

Veracode, a provider of application risk management, recently unveiled its 2025 GenAI Code Security Report, revealing critical security flaws in AI-generated code. The study analyzed 80 curated coding tasks across more than 100 large language models (LLMs), revealing that while AI produces functional code, it introduces security vulnerabilities in 45 percent of cases. Read Now
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
Unlocking the Possibilities

Security needs continue to evolve and end users are under pressure to address emerging risks and safety concerns. For many, that focus starts with upgrading perimeter openings and layering technologies—beginning at the door. Read Now
- Access Control
- Dealers and Integrators

Security Today eNews

Sign up today for essential industry news and product information that can help you stay afloat in the fast-paced world of security.

Email Address*Country*

Please type the letters/numbers you see above.

Webinars

Whitepapers

New Products

ResponderLink

Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.
Luma x20

Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”
Automatic Systems V07

Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.