San Jose, CA (January 11, 2010) -- BD Biosciences, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced today a new strategic collaboration with ReaMetrix, a private biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India, to develop dried reagents for its BD FACSCount™ Flow Cytometry System, which is used throughout Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America for CD4 monitoring of HIV/AIDS patients. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“For more than a decade, the BD FACSCount System has served as the system of choice for CD4 monitoring in global HIV/AIDS treatment programs, known for its simplicity, robust performance and reliability,” said Bill Rhodes, President, BD Biosciences. “Collaborating with ReaMetrix, a state-of-the-art R&D company in India, offers BD the opportunity to increase our reach even further into resource-limited settings where refrigeration is unavailable.”
Poor access to laboratory testing facilities is one of the predominant issues affecting patient access to CD4 monitoring in developing countries. CD4 testing assesses a patient’s immune system and guides clinicians in the proper administration of anti-HIV therapies. Many countries lack the needed infrastructure to ensure timely and reliable testing for their HIV/AIDS patients. A shortage of skilled laboratory professionals, along with the significant challenges of transporting, storing and using temperature-sensitive products and blood samples, are real barriers to adequate, appropriate and cost-effective treatment in these resource-limited settings.
ReaMetrix' innovative dried-down reagent process opens up the opportunity to address these unmet needs directly. This dried-down delivery format eliminates the need for refrigeration and exhibits a high degree of correlation with the conventional liquid format, allowing more locations to provide CD4 counting.
“At ReaMetrix, we are excited about launching this collaboration with BD to help develop and provide solutions to some of the fundamental challenges facing clinicians and laboratory professionals in developing countries,” said ReaMetrix Chief Executive Officer Bala S. Manian, Ph.D. “In BD, we see a great strategic collaborator not only with extensive global experience and reach, but also a strong commitment to improving global health.”
About BD
BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.
About ReaMetrix
ReaMetrix, Inc. is a next generation biotechnology company with its primary operations centered in India focused on creating affordable diagnostics. It is utilizing the challenge of developing innovative affordable solutions that meet global standards, as a driver to break the rules of conventional thinking. It conceives, creates and validates solutions at the 'point of use' to impact the entire innovation process. With such an approach, ReaMetrix strongly believes that it can not just address the emerging needs of the developing world but can have a paradigm changing impact on global healthcare delivery. For more information, please visit www.reametrix.com.
This press release contains certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD’s performance, including future revenues, earnings per share and income, or events or developments that BD expects to occur or anticipates occurring in the future. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, a number of factors could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement. For instance, various healthcare reform proposals, if enacted, would impose an excise tax applicable to medical device manufacturers, including BD, and these may be effective in calendar year 2010. Other factors include, but are not limited to: adverse changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions, including any impact that may result from the current global economic downturn on our ability to access credit markets and finance our operations, the demand for our products and services, or our suppliers’ ability to provide products needed for our operations; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates, particularly in light of increased volatility in currency exchange rates; potential healthcare reform, including changes in government pricing and reimbursement policies or other cost containment reforms; competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; increases in energy costs and their effect on, among other things, the cost of producing BD’s products; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD’s ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; uncertainties of litigation (as described in BD’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission); the effects of potential pandemic diseases; our ability to successfully integrate any businesses we acquire; and issuance of new or revised accounting standards, as well as other factors discussed in BD’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulations.
