NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(OTCBB:CEMI) - Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. has received a Notice of
Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its
Dual Path Immunoassay patent application publication #2006-0205059. The
patent application describes Chembio’s
innovative Dual Path Platform (DPP™) lateral
flow rapid diagnostic test system. Chembio is developing its next
generation infectious disease rapid tests using DPP™.
Chembio also believes that its DPP™
diagnostic test system can be licensed to other manufacturers that seek
enhanced rapid test performance or where licenses to other lateral flow
technologies are not as cost-effective or even available.
By employing a separate membrane strip for sample migration and one for
the other test reagents, the DPP™
diagnostic test system controls sample flow and immunological reaction
more efficiently than conventional lateral flow tests. This feature
improves sensitivity and specificity. The DPP™
diagnostic test system is therefore well suited for use with a wide
variety of sample types including whole blood, serum, fecal material,
urine, sputum and oral fluid. More even distribution of sample material
to multiple test lines in the DPP™ test zone
as compared with conventional lateral flow also enables the development
of combination and/or confirmatory assays with improved results, which
can be developed so as to observe coded results visually or with
instrumentation. Products can also be developed using DPP™
diagnostic test systems in many areas beyond infectious diseases such as
environmental testing, food testing, therapeutic monitoring and consumer
diagnostics.
“Chembio has today achieved a significant
milestone toward obtaining its first lateral flow patent in less than
two years since our initial filing for this, a timeframe which I believe
speaks to the innovation in this technology,”
Chembio’s Chairman and President, Lawrence A.
Siebert, said. Mr. Siebert continued, “I
appreciate the commitment that our Vice President of Research &
Development, Javan Esfandiari, has had in this project that is so
central to our current and future product development activities."
In November 2006 Chembio announced a Cooperative Research & Development
Agreement with the United States Centers for Disease Control for the
development of a rapid “screen and confirm”
combination test for syphilis that would employ the DPP™
diagnostic test system. Other applications for the DPP™
diagnostic test system, including an oral fluid HIV test, are under
development and discussion with a growing number of parties. An
animation showing the DPP™ oral fluid
HIV diagnostic test system can be viewed at the company’s
web site through the following link: http://www.chembio.com/newtechnologies.html.
The Notice of Allowance means Chembio is entitled to a patent under the
law subject only to payment of a specified issue fee within three months
of the notice of allowance. Chembio has also filed for patent protection
for the DPP™ diagnostic test system in
Brazil, Malaysia, and Thailand as well as through the Patent Cooperation
Treaty which provides Chembio with the opportunity to file applications
in more than 100 other foreign countries later this year.
ABOUT CHEMBIO
Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of rapid
diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, is on the frontlines of the
global battle against the AIDS pandemic. The Company has received
marketing approval from the FDA for its SURE CHECK®HIV 1/2 and HIV 1/2 STAT-PAK™ rapid tests.
The Company also manufactures rapid tests for veterinary Tuberculosis
and Chagas Disease, and has developed a patent-pending technology, the
Dual Path Platform (DPP™), for its next
generation HIV and other rapid tests. For additional information please
visit www.chembio.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements contained herein that are not historical facts may be
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements
regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and
its management.Such statements are estimates only, as the
Company has not completed the preparation of its financial statements
for those periods, nor has its auditor completed the audit of those
results. Actual revenue may differ materially from those anticipated in
this press release. Such statements reflect management's current views,
are based on certain assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results, events, or performance may differ materially from the
above forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors,
and will be dependent upon a variety of factors, including, but not
limited to Chembio's ability to obtain additional financing, to obtain
regulatory approvals in a timely manner, and the demand for Chembio's
products. Chembio undertakes no obligation to publicly update these
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur
after the date hereof or to reflect any change in Chembio's expectations
with regard to these forward-looking statements or the occurrence of
unanticipated events. Factors that may impact Chembio's success are more
fully disclosed in Chembio's most recent public filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission.
