OraSure Technologies and Drager Successfully Conduct First UPlink Roadside Drugs of Abuse Test in Germany
This new platform technology is the first practical test platform for on-site, oral fluid drug testing for roadside testing worldwide. Drager's launch of product marketing for the UPlink Drugs of Abuse Testing System is planned for the first quarter of 2002.
Robert Thompson, OraSure Technologies' Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This is an important development milestone for the company. The success of this trial clearly demonstrates the robustness and utility of our platform in a variety of uses and settings. The system's immediate detection window and mobility set it apart. Additionally, the simple observable collection involved in oral fluid drug testing make it ideal for roadside and criminal justice applications." Professor Dr. Albert Jugel, Chief Executive Officer, Drager Safety, Germany, said, "The first evaluation of the functional prototype by German police has been very successful. The police were deeply impressed with the performance, the extreme ease of handling, and the specific drug detection within the shortest possible time."
Approximately 2,500 young people attended a discotheque party, a number of which were selectively screened by police for the presence of drugs of abuse using oral fluids. The trial, which took place in the northern city of Ratzeburg, Germany, involved fifty-three police in forty cars that identified suspicious individuals driving from the discotheque who were then examined by a physician. Upon suspicion of substance abuse, OraSure Technologies' UPlink technology was used to test for several drugs of abuse. As a result, more than a dozen individuals were identified and later confirmed to have taken one or more popular drugs, such as Ecstasy.
About Up-Converting Phosphor Technology (UPT)(TM) / UPlink(TM)
Up-Converting Phosphor Technology (UPT)(TM) is a proprietary label detection technology developed by OraSure Technologies and research partners, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, and Leiden University, The Netherlands. UPT uses phosphor particles that convert light from low energy (infrared) to high-energy visible light. This rare optical process, not found in nature, is expected to make UPT useful as a reporter label to detect a wide variety of targets including drugs of abuse, infectious diseases, cancer markers, food pathogens, cardiac risk markers, and DNA probes. UPT particles produce zero background interference, which dramatically increases the potential sensitivity of any test system. In addition, the many colors of particles allow simultaneous detection of multiple biological markers.
UPlink(TM) is OraSure Technologies first product platform based on UPT. UPlink is a point-of-care system comprised of an oral fluid sample collector, test cassette, and a reader developed for detecting drugs of abuse. UPlink will deliver instrument-read results in ten minutes and will dramatically improve turnaround time and reduce costs associated with traditional lab-based urine testing. The first test menu will target the "NIDA-5" drug test panel -- marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines/methamphetamines, and PCP. Additional tests for benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and methadone are expected to be developed. Target markets for the UPlink drug testing system include workplace, criminal justice, drug rehabilitation, and roadside drug testing. The company plans to expand the applications available on UPlink to include multiple diagnostic tests on oral fluid, blood, and other fluids.
About OraSure Technologies
OraSure Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices and diagnostic products for use by public- and private-sector clients, clinical laboratories, physicians' offices, and workplace testing. OraSure Technologies is the leading supplier of oral-fluid collection devices and assays to the life insurance industry and public health markets for the detection of antibodies to HIV. In addition, the company supplies oral-fluid testing solutions for drugs of abuse testing. For more information on the company, please go to www.orasure.com.
About Drager Sicherheitstechnik GmbH / Drager Safety
Drager Safety, a division of Dragerwerk AG, Lubeck, Germany, is one of the world's leading manufacturers and service providers in the field of respiratory protection and gas detection. In the year 2000, the company's global sales rose by 11.5 percent to some DM 747 million (up from DM 670 million). Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) grew by 22 percent to DM 53.7 million. Drager Safety got off to a successful start in 2001 with global order intake in the first quarter rising by 7.6 percent above the same period last year. During the same period, the sales grew by as much as 16.5 percent.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements including with respect to revenues, product availability and markets. Actual results could be significantly different. Factors that could affect results include ability to market products; impact of competitors, competing products and technology changes; failure to comply with regulations of the FDA or other regulatory agencies; loss or impairment of sources of capital; ability to develop product distribution channels; ability to develop new products; market acceptance of oral fluid testing products; changes in international, federal or state laws or regulations; exposure to product liability or other types of litigation; changes in relationships with strategic partners and reliance on strategic partners for the performance of critical activities under collaborative arrangements; equipment failures and ability to obtain needed raw materials and other components; and general business and economic conditions. These factors are discussed more fully in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings of OraSure Technologies, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2000 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2001. 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 those statements.
CONTACT: OraSure Technologie
Rich Hooper, 610/882-1820, ext. 3042
Investorinfo@orasure.com
www.orasure.com
