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Biotech / Medical : Biotech Valuation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Biomaven who wrote (8877)	7/29/2003 2:49:35 PM
From: manny t	Respond to of 52153

OSUR, Thanks for your thoughts Biomaven. In this release OSUR mentions that it doesn't have the rights for HIV-2 detection,which is more prevalent in Latin America: DJ OraSure HIV Test -3:Sees Mexico Shipments In 3Q Or 4Q>OSUR OraSure Chief Financial Officer Ron Spair said the company plans to deliver the first mass shipments of its OraQuick test to its Mexican distributor later in the third quarter or early in the fourth. Spair said the company won't issue any sales projections for Mexico until it has a better idea of institutional sales in the country, specifically to the Mexican government. According to Spair, OraSure will have to navigate a number of different approval procedures before the test is cleared for use throughout Latin America, but he said the strength of the data from recent U.S. and Mexican reviews will greatly aid the process. One potentially complicating factor is the presence of two major strains of HIV. HIV-1 is the prevalent strain in North America, while HIV-2 is more common in other parts of the world, such as West Africa. Currently, HIV-1 and HIV-2 require different tests, and the license to make those tests is held by separate companies, the spokesman said. Spair said some South American countries may require an HIV test to detect both strains. He said OraSure currently makes and markets such a test in Thailand, but it would need to reach agreements with Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (BIO) or HIV-2 license holders before it could market such a test worldwide. Bio-Rad holds the patent portfolio for HIV-2 detection. Company Web site: orasure.com -Andrew Wallmeyer; Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5400 (END) Dow Jones Newswires 07-29-03 1439ET