MedMira Receives Product Approval and First Order from Colombia – Penetrates Latin American Market with 220,000 Rapid HIV Tests
HALIFAX, NS, Aug. 17 /CNW/ – MedMira Inc., (“MedMira”) (TSX Venture: MIR, NASDAQ: MMIRF) a global market leader in premium rapid diagnostic solutions, announced today that it has received product approval and the first order from ts new Colombian agent, the IKXUR Company (IKXUR). MedMira will immediately ship 20,000 tests against a total order for 220,000 MiraWell(R) Rapid HIV Tests (MiraWell HIV). The balance of the order will be filled in quarterly shipments over the next year.
IKXUR will realize sales of the HIV tests through its in-country distribution partnership with CI Grupo Vargas Bueno & Cia S.A. The tests will be sold to hospitals and clinical laboratories and the distributors will also be participating in government tenders for national testing programs and public health initiatives.
“IKXUR, our strategic partner for this region has made a positive step forward in strengthening our market presence in Latin America,” said Hermes Chan, President & CEO, MedMira. “As HIV infection rates continue to rise in the region, the market demand for quality rapid diagnostics is increasing. MiraWell HIV is ideally suited to meet the broad range of testing needs in Colombia and other Latin America markets.”
The MiraWell HIV test delivers results instantly and is designed for use in all types of testing environments and programs, including occupational exposures, labor & delivery, emergency departments, and large scale public health testing programs. It is built on MedMira’s core technology, the basis for all MedMira’s rapid HIV tests, which have achieved gold standards in regulatory approvals around the world, including Health Canada, US FDA, China SFDA, and the European Union CE Mark.
“We are very pleased to bring MedMira’s quality rapid HIV test to the Colombian market,” said Eliseo Pausa Martm, International Manager, IKXUR Company. “We, along with our distribution partner, CI Grupo Vargas Bueno & Cia S.A., look forward to working with the MedMira team to deliver MiraWell HIV to this growing market.” According to the latest data from UNAIDS released in May 2006, there are currently 160,000 people in Colombia living with HIV/AIDS.
About MedMira
MedMira is the leading global manufacturer and marketer of in vitro flow-through rapid diagnostic tests. MedMira’s tests provide reliable, rapid diagnosis in just 3 minutes for the detection of human antibodies in human serum, plasma or whole blood for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. The United States FDA, the SFDA in the People’s Republic of China and European Union have approved MedMira’s Reveal(R) G2, MiraWell(R) and MiraCare(TM) rapid HIV tests, respectively. The MedMira Rapid HIV Test has been approved by Health Canada.
MedMira’s Reveal(R) G2 and MiraWell(R) rapid HIV tests are currently used in clinical laboratories, hospitals, and clinics where professional counselling and patient treatment are immediately available.
MiraCare(TM) is sold through MedMira’s distributor network to pharmacies, hospitals and laboratories in the European Union. It is also available over-the-counter (OTC) in pharmacies throughout Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, in the People’s Republic of China.
Multiplo HIV/HCV is the first in MedMira’s line of rapid tests for multiple diagnoses of infectious diseases. Multiplo HIV/HCV simultaneously detects HIV and HCV antibodies in a single specimen in less than 3 minutes.
MedMira delivers rapid diagnostic solutions to healthcare communities around the globe. Its corporate offices and manufacturing facilities are located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with a representative office and joint venture manufacturing facility in Guilin, China.
This news release contains forward-looking statements, which involve risk and uncertainties and reflect the company’s current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could materially differ from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including, but not limited to, changing market conditions, successful and timely completion of clinical studies, uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process, establishment of corporate alliances and other risks detailed from time to time in the company quarterly filings.
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this statement.
For more information visit MedMira’s website at www.medmira.com. SEDAR: 00013053E
For further information: Dr. James Smith, Investor Relations, (902) 450-1588, ir@medmira.com; Andrea Young, Corporate Communications, (902)450-1588, ayoung@medmira.com