January 04, 2005 08:30 AM Eastern Time 

Johns Hopkins Study Confirms Rapid Detection of Anthrax Attack Best for Beating Terrorists

Universal Detection Technology (OTCBB:UDTT), developer and marketer of the Anthrax 'smoke' Detector, commented today on a recent study released by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and published in the December 16, 2004, edition of Nature.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins evaluated the outcomes of various strategies to deal with the threat of an anthrax attack. The research team used a computer model that takes account of the amount of spores inhaled, chances of germination, the rate of spread, whether people are vaccinated, how quickly they get their antibiotics, and whether they stick to them for the full course of treatment. The researchers concluded that the best solution is rapid detection and response with the right treatments delivered to those exposed as soon after the attack as possible. According to the article in Nature, these findings could be an important tool for policymakers who must develop effective strategies for containing an anthrax outbreak.

As quoted in Nature, Ron Brookmeyer of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, stated "In terms of resources, the priority should be rapidly detecting an attack when it occurs. Then you need a plan to get antibiotics to people quickly. That would minimize disease by maximizing the chances that anthrax spores in the body are killed off before they can germinate in the lymph nodes and cause sickness. I don't think we've learned all the lessons from 2001," Brookmeyer added. In July this year, President George W. Bush signed legislation to empower Project BioShield, which will provide funding for research against anthrax. But public-health surveillance to detect anthrax attacks still needs to be improved, Brookmeyer warned.

Working in collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Universal Detection has developed the Anthrax 'smoke' Detector (ASD) based on a chemical identification process created by JPL's Planetary Protection Unit. The ASD provides continuous and unattended detection of bacterial spores. If an elevated spore count is detected, an alarm notifies internal security on site as well as local emergency services via the device's landline or wireless networking capability. The ASD's response time is 15 minutes, which management believes is fast enough to help prevent widespread contamination and save lives.

"Research continues to validate the need for a cost-effective, real time solution for biologic threat preparedness," stated Universal Detection's President and CEO Jacques Tizabi. "The Company is pursuing worldwide sales of the ASD in markets where the perceived threat of a bio-terror attack exists. Our strategic objective is to position the ASD as an essential adjunct in the war on terror."

About Universal Detection Technology

Universal Detection Technology (UDT), founded in 1973, is a developer of monitoring technologies, including bio-terrorism detection devices. Management believes that the Company's technology, together with third party technologies and devices, has positioned it to capitalize on growth and value opportunities related to Homeland Security. UDT, in cooperation with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has developed a bio-terror 'smoke' detector, which combines JPL's spore detection technology with UDT's aerosol capture device. For more information, please visit http://udtt.invrel.net or http://www.udetection.com.

Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause a company's actual results, performance and achievement in the future to differ materially from forecasted results, performance, and achievement. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the funding of amounts of capital adequate to provide for our working capital needs and our timely repayment of debt, our ability to timely and cost effectively complete the development and testing of our products targeted to the bio-chemical and medical markets, our ability to commercially produce our products on a profitable basis, commercial acceptance of our products, product price volatility, product demand, market competition and general economic conditions, and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation and do not intend to revise or update publicly any forward looking statements for any reason.