Schering-Plough and OraSure Technologies Sign Agreement for Development and Promotion of Rapid Point-of-Care Oral Hepatitis C Te
04 Gennaio 2007 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE:SGP) and OraSure Technologies,
Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR) today announced an agreement to collaborate on
the development and promotion of a rapid oral test for the
detection of antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) utilizing
OraSure Technologies� OraQuick� technology platform. The agreement
brings together OraSure � the leader in oral fluid diagnostics and
developer and manufacturer of the OraQuick ADVANCE� Rapid HIV-1/2
Antibody Test, the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved rapid oral fluid HIV-1/2 Test, and Schering-Plough
Corporation, a worldwide leader in the discovery and development of
novel HCV therapies. �As a long-term innovator and leader in the
hepatitis therapy area, Schering-Plough is the ideal partner to
help us introduce our rapid, point-of-care oral HCV test to the
U.S. physicians� office market once our product receives FDA
approval. We believe a rapid oral fluid HCV test has significant
commercial and medical value in that it will help identify more
individuals who are infected, thus enabling them to receive
appropriate treatment. We look forward to a long and successful
collaboration with Schering-Plough on this important product,� said
Douglas A. Michels, President and CEO of OraSure Technologies.
Under terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough will reimburse
OraSure for a portion of the costs incurred by OraSure to develop
the rapid oral HCV test and also will provide certain promotional
support in the physicians� office market in the United States. All
sales of the HCV test will be made by OraSure, and OraSure will
retain the rights to market and sell the test in all markets
throughout the United States. The tests sold to U.S. physicians�
offices will be co-branded and will incorporate OraSure�s OraQuick�
tradename and Be In Charge�, the name of Schering-Plough�s free
patient support program that provides access to in-depth,
easy-to-understand educational information about chronic hepatitis
C and its treatment. The agreement has an initial term of two years
from the date that the test is first sold commercially. Hepatitis C
is the most common blood-borne infection in America, affecting
approximately four million people or about one in every 50 adults,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Because the prevalence of HCV infection is threefold higher among
persons now between the ages of 30 and 49, the number of deaths
resulting from HCV-related liver disease could increase
substantially during the next 10 to 20 years due to progression of
liver disease as the infected population ages. Chronic hepatitis C
can cause cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. About half of
all cases of primary liver cancer in the developed world are caused
by hepatitis C, and hepatitis C related liver disease is now the
leading cause for liver transplants. Most people who develop
chronic hepatitis C infection are not aware that they have the
disease. 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. In
addition, OraSure sells products for the cryosurgical removal of
common and plantar warts in the over-the-counter or retail market
in the United States, Canada, certain European countries, Australia
and New Zealand, and a product for the cryosurgical removal of
common and plantar warts and several other benign skin lesions to
the professional or physician office market in the United States
and many foreign countries. For more information on the Company,
please go to http://www.orasure.com. OraSure Technologies
Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains certain
forward-looking statements, including with respect to product
development and commercialization. Actual results could be
significantly different. Factors that could affect results include
the ability to market and sell products; changes in relationships
with strategic partners and reliance on strategic partners for the
performance of critical activities under collaborative
arrangements; failure of distributors or other customers to meet
purchase forecasts or minimum purchase requirements for our
products; impact of competitors, competing products and technology
changes; ability to develop, commercialize and market new products;
market acceptance of oral fluid testing or other new products or
technology; changes in market acceptance based on product
performance; continued bulk purchases by customers, including
governmental agencies, and the ability to fully deploy those
purchases in a timely manner; ability to fund research and
development and other products and operations; ability to obtain
and maintain new or existing product distribution channels;
reliance on sole supply sources for critical product components;
availability of related products produced by third parties; ability
to obtain, and timing and cost of obtaining, necessary regulatory
approval for new products or new indications or applications for
existing products; ability to comply with applicable regulatory
requirements; history of losses and ability to achieve sustained
profitability; volatility of our stock price; uncertainty relating
to patent protection and potential patent infringement claims;
uncertainty and costs of litigation relating to patents and other
intellectual property; availability of licenses to patents or other
technology; ability to enter into international manufacturing
agreements; obstacles to international marketing and manufacturing
of products; ability to sell products internationally; loss or
impairment of sources of capital; ability to meet financial
covenants in agreements with financial institutions; ability to
retain qualified personnel; exposure to product liability, patent
infringement, and other types of litigation; changes in
international, federal or state laws and regulations; customer
consolidations and inventory practices; equipment failures and
ability to obtain needed raw materials and components; the impact
of terrorist attacks and civil unrest; ability to complete
consolidation or restructuring activities; ability to identify,
complete and realize the full benefits of potential acquisitions;
and general political, business and economic conditions. These and
other factors are discussed more fully in the Securities and
Exchange Commission (�SEC�) filings of OraSure Technologies,
including its registration statements, its Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, its Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q, and its other filings with the SEC. Although
forward-looking statements help to provide complete information
about future prospects, readers should keep in mind that
forward-looking statements may not be reliable. The forward-looking
statements are made as of the date of this press release and
OraSure Technologies undertakes no duty to update these statements.
About Schering-Plough Schering-Plough is a global science-based
health care company with leading prescription, consumer and animal
health products. Through internal research and collaborations with
partners, Schering-Plough discovers, develops, manufactures and
markets advanced drug therapies to meet important medical needs.
Schering-Plough�s vision is to earn the trust of the physicians,
patients and customers served by its more than 32,000 people around
the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web
site is www.schering-plough.com. Schering-Plough Forward-Looking
Statement The information in this press release includes certain
�forward-looking statements� within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements
relating to the company�s strategy and the potential chronic
hepatitis C market. Forward-looking statements relate to
expectations or forecasts of future events. Schering-Plough does
not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from
Schering-Plough�s forward-looking statements, including market
forces, economic factors, product availability, patent and other
intellectual property protection, current and future branded
generic or over-the-counter competition, the regulatory process,
and any developments following regulatory approval, among other
uncertainties. For further details about these and other factors
that may impact the forward-looking statements, see
Schering-Plough�s Securities and Exchange Commission filings,
including Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in the Company�s second
quarter 2006 10-Q.
Grafico Azioni OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR)
Storico
Da Giu 2024 a Lug 2024
Grafico Azioni OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR)
Storico
Da Lug 2023 a Lug 2024