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Biotech / Medical : Trinity Biotech (TRIBY) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: b muller who wrote (7846)	1/20/1998 10:05:00 AM
From: John W. Linder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14328

(TRINITY-BIOTECH)(TRIBY) Trinity Biotech plc Launches Uni-Gold(TM) HIV With Smithkline Beecham DUBLIN, Ireland--(BW HealthWire)--January 20, 1998--TRINITY BIOTECH plc (Nasdaq: TRIBY) today announced that it has signed an agreement with SmithKline Beecham International (SB) to launch in Africa its rapid Uni-Gold test for HIV. SB had previously test marketed the company's 7-step SeroCard test in Nigeria, and was awaiting the one step Uni-Gold test for an extended African launch. Under the terms of the agreement, SB will sell the products under license from Trinity Biotech and will market them under the SB label. As part of the agreement, Trinity Biotech has supplied SB with an initial shipment to South Africa and arrangements for additional shipments to other countries are being finalized. Currently, there are 20 million cases of HIV infection in Africa, growing at a rate of 10% per annum. A major breakthrough, the Uni-Gold HIV is a 5-minute test, that can be performed without the need for instruments or highly-trained staff, using blood from a finger prick. It is ideal for screening tests in small hospital facilities that cannot afford, or maintain instruments needed for existing HIV tests on the market. Commenting on the agreement, Ronan O'Caoimh, Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Biotech plc, stated, "We are very pleased that SmithKline Beecham has chosen Trinity Biotech as its partner in Africa. This agreement allows us to significantly broaden our customer base in rapidly growing international markets and provides us with an immediate opportunity to increase the sale of our products. We believe this agreement validates Trinity's Uni-Gold technology and affirms the need for rapid diagnostics in the worldwide marketplace. We look forward to providing the African medical community with additional cost-effective and time efficient products and will continually strive to extend our line of Uni-Gold tests to reach other markets worldwide." Mr. Malcolm Allison, Director of International Marketing at SB, commented, "Trinity Biotech's Uni-Gold HIV product was chosen for its unique ability to provide accurate test results in a limited amount of time, without the need of a trained professional. We anticipate additional orders for the company's product, and look forward to an ongoing relationship with Trinity Biotech to service the needs of our growing client base in international markets for diagnostic products." SMITHKLINE BEECHAM, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, discovers, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health- related consumer products, and provides healthcare services including clinical laboratory testing, disease management, and pharmaceutical benefit management. For company information, visit SmithKline Beecham on the World Wide Web at sb.com. TRINITY BIOTECH develops, manufactures and markets over 85 diagnostic tests which address all three segments of the diagnostic market: 1) rapid tests for the emerging point-of-care (POC) market; 2) simplified tests for the over-the-counter (OTC) market and 3) test kits for the clinical laboratory or traditional market. The Company's tests are sold around the world in over 85 countries. For additional information visit the company's web site at trinitybiotech.com. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements which are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the effect of regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. --30--emb/ny* CONTACT: Jonathan O'Connell Chief Financial Officer joconnell@trinitybiotech.ie 800/603-8076 or Investor Relations Bruce Voss/bruce@lhai.com 310/575-4848 Olga Fleming/olga@lhai.com 212/838-3777 Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates,Inc. Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL: businesswire.com