This partnership will enable laboratories to increase efficiencies while
offering an improved level of service by providing quicker turnaround times
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche Diagnostics today signed a
letter of intent to negotiate an agreement for the joint development and
commercialization of homogeneous fully-automated oral fluid drugs of abuse
assays that can run on random access chemistry analyzers with OraSure
Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OSUR). The oral fluid assays will be developed
for use with OraSure's Intercept(R) oral specimen collection device and
Roche's KIMS (kinetic interaction of microparticles in solution)
technology. The oral fluid assays will be designed to run on various
automated analyzers and to allow oral fluid samples to be processed with
the same efficiency as current urine based tests. Among the key potential
benefits to laboratories will be increased efficiencies and quicker
turnaround times.
"With automation of oral fluid testing becoming increasingly important,
Roche is committed to providing best-in-class high throughput oral fluid
solutions for our customers. We are very pleased to be collaborating with
OraSure Technologies in the development of fully automated oral fluid drugs
of abuse assays," said Joe Passarelli, Vice President of Research and
Development at Roche Diagnostics. "This partnership would leverage the
strengths of both companies including OraSure's market leading Intercept(R)
Drug Test and Roche Diagnostics' fully automated ONLINE DAT(R) drug
screening portfolio -- leading to an integrated product offering from a
single source," he added.
"The development of automated assays for oral fluid drugs of abuse
testing is technologically a very important step for OraSure and its
laboratory customers," said Stephen R. Lee, Ph.D., Executive Vice President
and Chief Science Officer, OraSure Technologies. "It will enable them to
run these assays on the most advanced, flexible chemistry analyzers used in
laboratories today, which should ultimately lead to higher volumes of oral
fluid testing. We are extremely excited to be working with Roche on this
project -- their industry-leading KIMS technology combined with their
system reliability is ideally suited for this application," said Lee.
Developed and manufactured by OraSure Technologies, the Intercept(R)
device is the only FDA-cleared invitro diagnostic laboratory-based oral
fluid testing system used for detecting commonly abused drugs such as
marijuana, cocaine, opiates, PCP and amphetamines (including
methamphetamine and ecstasy) and for detecting barbiturates, methadone and
benzodiazepines. Intercept(R) testing is currently being used in workplace,
drug treatment and criminal justice testing markets, as well as in public
school systems.
With over twenty-five years of proven experience in the drugs of abuse
market, Roche Diagnostics has established itself as a global leader. Roche
offers a full portfolio of testing solutions including ONLINE DAT(R) drugs
of abuse screening assays combined with system platforms that are tailored
for various customer segment and volume requirements.
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's
leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals
and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the
early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group
contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and
quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading
supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in
virology. In 2005, sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 27.3
billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.2
billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries
and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners,
including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's
Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies
a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers,
physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. Roche
Centralized Diagnostics, a business area of Roche Diagnostics, is a leading
force in developing and supplying new technologies and integrated solutions
that help clinical laboratories to operate efficiently and cost
effectively. For further information, please visit our website at
http://www.roche-diagnostics.us .
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 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 manufactures and sells Intercept(R), the only
FDA-cleared in vitro diagnostic oral fluid testing system used for
detecting commonly abused drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opiates, PCP
and amphetamines (including methamphetamine and ecstasy) and for detecting
barbiturates, methadone and benzodiazepines. For more information on the
Company, please go to http://www.orasure.com .
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.
For further information please contact:
Doyia Turner
Corporate Communications, Roche Diagnostics
Phone: 317-521-7252
Email: doyia.turner@roche.com
Ron Ticho
OraSure Technologies
Phone: 610-882-1820 ext. 3013
Email : rticho@orasure.com
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