American Bio Medica Plans Major Sales Drive in Latin America, Names Former Roche Consultant as Sales Director KINDERHOOK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2000--American Bio Medica Corp. (NASDAQ:ABMC - news), which develops, manufactures and markets drugs-of-abuse diagnostic kits, sprays and support services, today announced that Arthur E. Brodeur, a former Roche Diagnostics consultant, has joined the company as director of sales for Mexico and Latin America and will manage a major sales effort in the region. Brodeur has more than 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, most recently with Roche Diagnostics' Drugs-of-Abuse Business Unit where he was a sales and marketing consultant responsible for coordinating marketing for Roche affiliates in Latin America and Canada. He also was responsible for identifying global distributors for Roche Diagnostics' drug-of-abuse products. Previously, Brodeur was with Bio-Merieux/API for 20 years, beginning as a sales rep and rising to vice president of sales. ``Art is our first sales director exclusively for Mexico and Latin America, and we are very fortunate to have such a highly qualified individual take on this assignment. His skills and experience are an excellent match for our aggressive marketing strategy,'' said ABMC Chairman and CEO Stan Cipkowski. That strategy includes Rapid Drug Screen(TM), on-site urine tests that generate results in five minutes and are unrivaled for ease of use, and Drug Detector(TM), the wipe-and-spray, non-invasive drug detection kit introduced last week at the Association of Chain Drug Stores' Marketplace trade show in New Orleans. Rapid Drug Screen is already in use at the institutional level by clinicians, educators, government, judiciary and business customers, and is awaiting FDA approval for retail distribution. Each test kit includes a plastic cup with an affixed temperature strip and secure lid for a urine sample. One or more Rapid Drug Screen test cards are inserted into the urine through a safety-sealed slit in the cup lid and, in minutes, indicate the presence or absence of the drugs covered by the test cards: cocaine, opiates, marijuana, PCP, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, methamphetamine, amphetamines and methadone, individually or in various combinations. Drug Detector, was introduced first to the U.S. retail market in tests for marijuana and crack/cocaine. The test kit includes an aerosol spray for either crack/cocaine or marijuana, 10 collection papers and instructions. It's easy to use -- just wipe any surface with a collection paper and spray the paper with the aerosol can. If it detects the drug residue, within seconds the paper will turn blue for cocaine and reddish brown for marijuana. Drug Detector will be available to the Mexican and Latin American institutional markets in larger, industrial-size versions of 50-100 tests. Tests for methamphetamine and heroin will be added at a later date. Both Drug Detector and Rapid Drug Screen will figure prominently in ABMC's plans for Mexico and Latin America, where Cipkowski and Brodeur see an untapped market of great potential. American Bio Medica Corporation develops, manufactures and markets inexpensive, accurate, on-site drugs-of-abuse diagnostic kits, sprays and supports services worldwide. The company's global distributors target the workplace, physicians, corrections, clinical and educational markets. chris |