HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Vandalia Research was among 49 businesses in West Virginia honored for new export activity in 2008 by Governor Joe Manchin (pictured on the right). During 2008, Vandalia began new exports of Triathlon-produced DNA to the United Kingdom, Norway, Austria, Canada, Italy and Germany. Accepting the award for Vandalia Research was Production Manager Dr. Sergei Avdiushko (pictured on the left). This is the second year Vandalia has been honored for new export activity.

The Governor's Commendation for International Market Entry went to representatives of 49 West Virginia businesses, the highest number of recipients since the program was established in 2002. It was presented in conjunction with the West Virginia Export Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce on May 27, 2009.

"West Virginia businesses have long proven we have the quality of goods, services and workers to compete successfully in the global economic arena," Manchin said in a press release. "International trade and investment help to create and retain jobs in West Virginia."

In 2008, West Virginia company exports amounted to more than $5.6 billion, a 41 percent increase over 2007. In the same time period, the export rate for the nation as a whole increased 12 percent, the release said.

The governor's award is based on the tradition of displaying the first dollar a business earns. The Governor's Commendation for International Market Entry frames currency from each new country to which the recipient business began exporting in 2008.

About Vandalia Research

Vandalia Research provides custom large-scale DNA production using its proprietary Triathlon™ system. The Triathlon™ is a patent-pending system that enables the mass production of specific, high-quality DNA sequences with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a thermo-chemical reaction that replicates DNA outside of a cell.

Vandalia Research is now providing milligram and gram quantities of custom PCR-amplified DNA for a variety of applications, including DNA vaccines, diagnostics, gene therapy, bio-agriculture, and nanotechnology.

CONTACT:

Derek Gregg
VP, Business Development
304-529-0803