Stevia Corp. Announces Appointment of the Former Chief Science Officer for Quest Diagnostics to its Scientific Advisory Panel - Seite 2

Dr. Cooper has also had a key advisory role in substantial medical devices which resulted in commercially successful products and/or acquisitions by major pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.

• As Senior Medical Advisor to Visible Genetics (Toronto), he oversaw TRUGENE HIV-1 DNA sequencing format which was the first commercial FDA approved sequencing kit to detect HIV resistance. To commercialize and distribute products in the U.S., he created "The Gene Foundry" as a spinoff which successfully distributed TruGene apparatus and kits throughout the U.S. Visible Genetics and TRUGENE were subsequently acquired by Bayer for $61.4 Million US.
• Built and managed the NimbleGen microarray technology in Reykjavik, Icelandutilizing photosynthesis chemistry. The facility served both European and U.S. investigators with DNA chips designed uniquely for each investigative purpose. Dr. Cooper built the staff to 20 members located in Iceland. NimbleGen was acquired by Roche for $250 Million U.S.
• Dr. Cooper designed the physical layoutand personnel requirements for CODIS mass spec laboratory for IBIS Biosciences. Ibis was acquired by Abbott and led to development of IBIS TIGER/T5000 Universal Biosensor platform. Purchase price was in excess of $220 M US.
• As actingCMO of Eragen, Dr. Cooper oversaw the early work which led to FDA 510K approval of their HSV assay and assisted in development of the constituents of a viral respiratory panel later taken to market by Luminex which acquired EraGen for $25M US and stock incentives.
• Designed and hired original Laboratory Director for Affymetrix's 10,000 sq foot CLIA Laboratory in Sacramento, CA. Laboratory was later transferred and acquired by Navigenics under undisclosed financialterms in excess of $100M US.
• As CSO Quest Diagnostics, oversaw portfolio development of 80-100 new and reworked assays yearly. Instituting first in man diagnostics across infectious disease, endocrinology, cardiology, respiratory disease and cancer.
• As an outside advisor, formed Qiagen's original Clinical Advisory Board from which the internationally leading blood product stabilizing nucleicacids PAXgene RNA and DNA and other products originated.

Kenneth Maciora, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stevia Corp. said, "We are ecstatic that Dr. Cooper has accepted our invitation to join our Advisory Panel. Dr. Cooper's academic and commercial achievements are well known by people that have worked with him over the years. His knowledge and advice as we launch our business plan will be invaluable to Stevia Corp. and I am beyond thrilled that Dr. Cooper will be part of our plan."