Spire Receives U.S. Patent for Nanophotovoltaic Devices
Source/Type: Press Releases - As issued by company

May 27, 2009... Tiny solar cells may provide novel therapeutic action

Bedford, Massachusetts USA--Spire Corporation (Nasdaq: SPIR), a global solar company providing turnkey solar factories and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic modules worldwide, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 7,514,725 B2 entitled “Nanophotovoltaic Devices.”

This patent is for nanophotovoltaic devices formed from silicon or gallium arsenide having sizes in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 5 microns, and method of their fabrication.

Although there are a number of applications, the patent describes one application which is to inject nanophotovoltaic devices into diseased tissue, e.g., cancerous tissue, and activate these cells by the use of suitable radiation. These cells will generate electric fields in the tissue, causing a disruption of the cancerous cells.

Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporations, and co-inventor, said, “This is an extension of our solar energy technology into biotherapeutics. Functionalized nanophotovoltaic devices can go to cancerous cells in the body and when exposed to tissue penetrating light, may provide sufficient electrical energy to destroy the cells. We are continuing to exploit this technology in our research and development activities.”

About Spire Corporation
Spire Corporation is a global solar company providing turnkey production lines and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic modules worldwide. Spire Semiconductor provides processing technology for Spire’s silicon solar cell manufacturing lines and produces and sells custom gallium arsenide cells for solar concentrator systems. For corporate or product information, contact Spire Corporation, “The Turnkey Solar Factory Company,” at 781-275-6000, or visit www.spirecorp.com.

Certain matters described in this news release may be forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of dependence on market growth, competition and dependence on government agencies and other third parties for funding contract research and services, as well as other factors described in the Company's Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Source: Spire Corporation
Spire Corporation

Roger G. Little,
781-275-6000

Chairman & CEO

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