WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Biomedica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBII) and the European Union Concerted Action for Quality Control of Nucleic Acid Amplification in Diagnostic Virology (QCCA) announced today a two year agreement to collaborate in a Quality Assessment Program (QAP) for tests of bloodborne viruses in diagnostic laboratories throughout the European Union. The QCCA comprises laboratories from the nations that make up the European Union and is dedicated to ensuring quality laboratory testing, particularly for nucleic acid amplification assays. Nucleic acid tests (NAT) target the RNA and DNA of bacteria and viruses, and are the latest laboratory tools used in the diagnosis and monitoring of infectious diseases.
The European Union QAP will be used to evaluate the performance of these new techniques for the detection and quantitation of HIV RNA, Hepatitis C Virus RNA and Hepatitis B Virus DNA. Under the agreement, BBI will manufacture and distribute at regular intervals blinded panels for testing by subscriber laboratories. The laboratories will report their results to QCCA (Manchester, U.K.) where data will be collated and a comparative performance report issued to each participant. Information about subscribing to the program may be obtained from the QCCA Secretariat at 44 (0) 161 276 8841, via email at qcca@man.ac.uk or via the web site at http://www.qcca.org.uk.
"Quality assessment programs such as the QCCA QAP are an important part of our commitment to improve disease diagnosis through better quality control products and services," said Linda St. Germain, Director of Marketing for BBI. "This agreement represents the third contract awarded to BBI over the past year from providers of quality assurance programs in the U.S. and abroad, and we are actively pursuing additional, similar opportunities."
"We chose Boston Biomedica to work with us on this project because of their experience and leadership in the field of quality control products for infectious diseases and their overall reputation for quality," commented Dr. Graham Cleator, Chairman of the QCCA. "We are looking forward to a highly successful collaboration between BBI and the QCCA in this most important work."
Boston Biomedica, Inc. is a worldwide manufacturer and provider of proprietary quality control products for use with IVD test kits for the detection, analysis and monitoring of infectious diseases, including AIDS, Hepatitis, Lyme Disease and ToRCH. The Company's products are used by clinical and research laboratories, blood banks, IVD manufacturers and regulatory agencies to help ensure the accuracy of infectious disease test results through the routine monitoring of test performance. The Company also manufactures diagnostic test kit components and laboratory instrumentation, provides specialty laboratory testing and contract research services, and has significant R&D investments in pressure cycling technology (PCT) and anti-HIV drug discovery.
Statements contained in this news release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are "forward-looking" statements. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those projected include the possibility that the Company may not be successful in completing currently awarded QAP contracts or in attracting additional QAP business. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1998. Copies of this document may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC.
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SOURCE Boston Biomedica, Inc.
CONTACT: Richard T. Schumacher, President & CEO or Kevin W. Quinlan, Chief Financial Officer or William R. Prather, M.D., Sr. VP Business Development of Boston Biomedica, 508-580-1900 or Dr. Graham Cleator, Co-Chairman European Union Concerted Action for Quality Control in Diagnostic Virology, 44-(0)-161-276-8841
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