Included in Meridian Bioscience's press release summarizing the company's fourth-quarter and full-year earnings are comments regarding soon-to-be-launched Illumigene tests. Illumigene is a molecular-amplification platform.

Meridian Bioscience says in the release that it is awaiting FDA clearance to market two new tests: Illumigene GBS for streptococcus Group B, and ImmunoCardSTAT! GDH, a rapid screening test for C. difficile. "In addition," the release reads, "we expect two to three additional Illumigene tests to be launched later this year." These include Illumigene Mycoplasma pneumonia, Illumigene Group A Strep, and Illumigene Pertussis.

Meridian Bioscience's first Illumigene test, for C. difficile, was cleared for marketing by FDA in July 2010.

Meridian Bioscience's full-year fiscal 2011 net sales were 159.7 million, which is a 12% increase from the previous fiscal year. The company's net earnings rose 1% from the last fiscal year, to 26.8 million.

---Maureen Kingsley, associate editor