OraSure Applauds President's Initiative to Prevent, Treat and Defeat HIV/AIDS; President Bush calls for Nation-Wide Deployment of Rapid HIV Tests
BETHLEHEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 2006--OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR), the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics and the manufacturer of the OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test, today issued a statement in support of the Administration's recently-announced initiative to increase efforts to prevent, treat and ultimately defeat HIV/AIDS. The initiative includes a proposal to distribute rapid HIV test kits in areas of the country with the highest rates of newly discovered HIV cases and the highest suspected rates of undetected cases.
President Bush announced the rapid HIV testing initiative as part of his State of the Union Address which he delivered on January 31, calling for "a nationwide effort, working closely with African-American churches and faith-based groups, to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions, end the stigma of AIDS, and come closer to the day when there are no new infections in America." The initiative is further detailed in a press release issued by the White House last night (the release can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060201-10.html).
"Our Company is committed to helping stem the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Douglas A. Michels, President and Chief Executive Officer of OraSure Technologies. "We share the President's vision of a society free of HIV/AIDS, where all have access to HIV testing and treatment. We commend the President and his Administration for taking a leadership role in this effort. The President's proposal is a clear signal of the Administration's intent to further expand the deployment of rapid HIV testing. We look forward to working with the Administration and its agencies on this particular new initiative."
OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) is the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments Act of 1988) waived rapid point-of-care test that can detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 in 20 minutes, using oral fluid, finger-stick or venipuncture whole blood or plasma specimens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have effectively deployed over 1 million OraQuick(R) tests in various public health, drug treatment and outreach settings throughout the country. OraQuick(R) is also used by hospitals, state departments of health, clinics, community-based organizations, and college/university health centers throughout the country.
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.
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.
CONTACT: OraSure Technologies, Inc.
Investor:
Ronald H. Spair, 610-882-1820
Investorinfo@orasure.com
www.orasure.com
or
Media:
Jennifer Moritz, 917-748-4006
jmoritz@0to5.com
SOURCE: OraSure Technologies, Inc.
