Vigilant Biosciences Announces Agreement With Crown Dental + Medical Limited For Exclusive Distribution Of The OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System In New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NZDA Conference, Booth 60-61 - Vigilant Biosciences, Inc. ("Vigilant"), a leading innovator and developer of solutions that aid in the early detection and intervention of cancer, announced today that it has entered into a three-year exclusive sales and marketing agreement with Crown Dental + Medical Limited for the distribution of the OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System in New Zealand. The OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System includes the OncAlert Oral Cancer Rapid Point-of-Care Risk Assessment Test (OncAlert POC Test) and the OncAlert^® Oral Cancer CD44 + Total Protein Lab Test (OncAlert LAB Assay).

Crown Dental + Medical will be showcasing the OncAlert System in booth 60-61, at the New Zealand Dental Association Conference 2015, taking place this week at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland.

Under the terms of the agreement, Crown Dental + Medical will exclusively market and sell the OncAlert POC Test and OncAlert LAB Assay to the dental and medical markets in New Zealand pursuant to New Zealand regulatory approvals of the products, which are expected by Q1 2016. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, Crown Dental + Medical is a leading distributor and marketer of high-quality, innovative products for dental and medical health providers in New Zealand.  

"We are excited to partner with Vigilant Biosciences to bring this exciting new technology to patients in New Zealand," said Ross Gunn, Director, Crown Dental + Medical Limited. "The ability to assess the risk of oral cancer earlier, before it has progressed to a later stage, will help us save lives. The system is easy to use and easy to integrate into a standard dental practice, making it a valuable new tool in our arsenal to fight this disease."

In a recent study, published in April 2015, University of Auckland scientists revealed a "rapid rise" in diagnoses for oropharyngeal cancer a type of mouth cancer in New Zealand men aged 40 and over. Additionally, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Health more than 600 thousand people in New Zealand use tobacco, and over 550 thousand are heavy drinkers both key risk factors for oral cancer.

"We are pleased to announce the agreement with Crown Dental + Medical for the sale of our OncAlert System in New Zealand," said Matthew H.J. Kim, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vigilant Biosciences, Inc. "New Zealand is among the many countries that have seen a rise in oral cancer rates in recent years, and new tools to help assess risk and diagnose early are critical to reversing this trend. Through our partnership with Crown Dental + Medical, our goal is to provide innovative, accurate and cost-effective products that will result in earlier detection and intervention for patients."

About the OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System
Vigilant's initial product, the OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System, includes the OncAlert Oral Cancer Rapid Point-of-Care Risk Assessment Test and the

OncAlert Oral Cancer CD44 + Total Protein Lab Test. Both products in the OncAlert System are based on patented technology that detects specific protein markers known to indicate an elevated risk for oral cancer, even prior to the observation of visual or physical symptoms. The simple, oral rinse procedure is easy to administer and non-invasive for the patient. The test can benefit every adult, with particular emphasis on high-risk populations (i.e., current and former tobacco users, those who consume alcohol, and people with HPV.)  Both products that comprise the OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System are currently under the CE Mark registration approval process.

About Oral Cancer
According to the World Health Organization, there are over 600,000 new cases of head and neck cancer and 300,000 deaths each year worldwide. In the United States, more than 54,000 individuals were diagnosed with head and neck cancers in 2014, with 13,500 deaths from the disease. Historically the death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high due to late-stage diagnosis and intervention. Currently, the vast majority of patients are detected through a visual exam and/or are symptomatic, at which point they are likely late stage. As a result, oral cancer often goes undetected to the point of metastasizing. Early diagnosis of oral cancer results in a cure rate of up to 90 percent.

About Crown Dental + Medical Limited
Incorporated in 1978, Crown Dental + Medical Limited has over 35 years of trading, making it one of New Zealand's most experienced suppliers of dental, medical and veterinary products. The Company serves both the dental, medical and veterinary professions throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, dealing primarily in consumable products and small equipment items. Representing a strong line-up of quality international manufacturers, Crown offers up-to-the-minute products from around the world.

About Vigilant Biosciences, Inc.
Vigilant Biosciences is a leading innovator and developer of solutions that aid clinicians in the early detection and intervention of cancer. Its point-of-care and lab-based products are accurate and cost-effective, empowering healthcare practitioners to easily assess the risk of oral cancer early, and improve outcomes through earlier intervention. The Vigilant Bioscience OncAlert Oral Cancer Risk Assessment System point-of-care and lab assay products are currently undergoing the CE Mark registration approval process and not yet available for sale in any market at this time. For more information, visit www.vigilantbiosciences.com.

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SOURCE Vigilant Biosciences, Inc.