OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR), the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics, announced today that it has been selected by the Malagasy government and its National AIDS Control Program to be the exclusive first-line provider of rapid HIV screening tests for the country’s outreach program over the next five years. Under this program, the government intends to test more than 400,000 individuals in 2007 with the Company’s OraQuick® Rapid HIV 1/2 Antibody Test.
The government of Madagascar, particularly His Excellency President Marc Ravalomanana, is committed to keeping the HIV/AIDS epidemic at bay by implementing the National AIDS Control Program, a countrywide HIV testing campaign that offers free HIV education and testing for all individuals. A major component of this program is a local outreach effort that includes teams of individuals traveling across the country to highly populated areas and offering HIV tests in convenient locations, including individuals’ homes.
“In Madagascar, the rate of prevalence for HIV/AIDS is low, and we want to keep it that way,” said Fenosoa Ratsimanetrimanana, Executive Secretariat of the National AIDS Committee. “HIV testing is a cornerstone to our HIV prevention program and last year we saw a significant increase in HIV testing because we launched a rapid oral fluid HIV test during the second half of the year. This year, with the continued support of the World Bank and the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we anticipate more than tripling the number of HIV tests administered versus the year prior.”
The Madagascar program began in 2005 when 15,000 individuals were tested. In 2006, the program’s second year, approximately 140,000 individuals were tested and this significant increase in testing is attributed directly to the introduction of the OraQuick® HIV Test during the latter part of that year. Due to the immediate impact of the test, the Ministry of Health, Family Planning and Social Protection has elected to use the OraQuick® HIV test preferably.
“We are very pleased to have been selected by the Government of Madagascar to be the first provider of oral rapid HIV tests for its country-wide testing initiative. This decision is a testament to the value of our technology – and in particular the versatility of the OraQuick® platform which enables individuals to use either blood or oral fluid for screening,” said Douglas A. Michels, OraSure President and Chief Executive Officer. “OraSure is committed to help stop the spread of HIV throughout the world and is proud to be working in partnership with the government of Madagascar to support education and testing programs.”
The program is a good example of a public-private partnership to help further stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in Madagascar.
"HIV testing is a vital component of the effort to prevent the continued spread of the epidemic," said Shana Ward Ryzowy, program manager for the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. "Testing is also the first step in accessing treatment and care. The Global Business Coalition commends OraSure’s collaborative efforts with the government of Madagascar to dramatically scale up HIV/AIDS awareness and testing. This initiative has the potential to have far reaching public health impacts.” The Global Business Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to harnessing the power of the global business community to end the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics.
About OraSure Technologies
OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and markets oral fluid specimen collection devices using proprietary oral fluid technologies, diagnostic products including immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices. These products are sold in the United States as well as internationally to various clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians' offices, and commercial and industrial entities.
In addition, OraSure sells products for the cryosurgical removal of common and plantar warts in the over-the-counter or retail market in the United States, Canada, certain European countries, Australia and New Zealand, and a product for the cryosurgical removal of common and plantar warts and several other benign skin lesions to the professional or physician office market in the United States and many foreign countries. For more information on the Company, please go to http://www.orasure.com.
Important Information
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including with respect to product purchases and testing initiatives. Actual results could be significantly different. Factors that could affect results include the ability to market and sell products; changes in relationships, including disputes or disagreements, with strategic partners and reliance on strategic partners for the performance of critical activities under collaborative arrangements; failure of distributors or other customers to meet purchase forecasts or minimum purchase requirements for the Company’s products; impact of competitors, competing products and technology changes; ability to develop, commercialize and market new products; market acceptance of oral fluid testing or other products; changes in market acceptance of products based on product performance; continued bulk purchases by customers, including governmental agencies, and the ability to fully deploy those purchases in a timely manner; ability to fund research and development and other products and operations; ability to obtain and maintain new or existing product distribution channels; reliance on sole supply sources for critical product components; availability of related products produced by third parties or products required for use of our products; ability to obtain, and timing and cost of obtaining, necessary regulatory approvals for new products or new indications or applications for existing products; ability to comply with applicable regulatory requirements; history of losses and ability to achieve sustained profitability; volatility of our stock price; uncertainty relating to patent protection and potential patent infringement claims; uncertainty and costs of litigation relating to patents and other intellectual property; availability of licenses to patents or other technology; ability to enter into international manufacturing agreements; obstacles to international marketing and manufacturing of products; ability to sell products internationally; loss or impairment of sources of capital; ability to meet financial covenants in agreements with financial institutions; ability to retain qualified personnel; exposure to product liability, patent infringement, and other types of litigation; changes in international, federal or state laws and regulations; customer consolidations and inventory practices; equipment failures and ability to obtain needed raw materials and components; the impact of terrorist attacks and civil unrest; ability to complete consolidation or restructuring activities; ability to identify, complete and realize the full benefits of potential acquisitions; and general political, business and economic conditions. These and other factors are discussed more fully in the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings of OraSure Technologies, including its registration statements, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its other filings with the SEC. Although forward-looking statements help to provide complete information about future prospects, readers should keep in mind that forward-looking statements may not be reliable. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and OraSure Technologies undertakes no duty to update these statements.
