SQI Diagnostics Inc. Responds to Change in FDA Priorities in Emergency Use Authorization

TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - SQI Diagnostics Inc. (“SQI” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SQD) (OTCQB: SQIDF), a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and products for advanced microarray diagnostics, today responded to a recent shift in US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) priorities around Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

The FDA has announced that, because the COVID-19 pandemic has moved into a new phase with respect to testing, it is no longer prioritizing the review of at-home testing and home sample collection for COVID-19 antibody tests under EUA.

This shift will de-prioritize the review of all these devices already submitted for FDA consideration. However, because SQI had not yet submitted its EUA application it is now able to move from a patient self-collection model to one in which a trained medical professional will collect a whole blood sample.

“As we have seen throughout the pandemic, changing government and regulatory priorities in the face of new or evolving circumstances is to be expected,” said Andrew Morris, President and CEO of SQI Diagnostics Inc. “SQI is in the fortunate position of being able to pivot our ongoing clinical validation study to meet the new priorities of the FDA for EUA review.”

SQI plans to pursue a modified intended-use claim that fits with the FDA’s current emphasis of convenient testing and meeting the public health need.

SQI believes that its collection of fingerstick capillary samples by trained medical professions would offer a pain-free sample collection option for a quantitative COVID-19 antibody test that is convenient for patients. SQI’s approach would make rapid and accurate testing more available in places where people are already accessing COVID-19 testing such as drive-through clinics, pharmacies, the workplace and other institutional settings.

About SQI Diagnostics
SQI Diagnostics is a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and products for advanced microarray diagnostics. The Company’s proprietary microarray tests and fully automated systems are designed to simplify protein and antibody testing workflow, increase throughput, reduce costs and provide excellent data quality. For more information, please visit www.sqidiagnostics.com.

Contact:
Morlan Reddock
Chief Financial Officer
437-235-6563
mreddock@sqidiagnostics.com

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “will”, “may”, “expects”, “intends”, “anticipates” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation, statements with respect to the Private Placement, the Debenture Repayment and the use of proceeds of the Private Placement. These forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, risks related to the failure to obtain necessary regulator and stock exchange approvals for the Private Placement, general economic and market factors, competition, the development and commercialization of the Company’s diagnostics tests, the effect of the global pandemic and consequent economic disruption, and the factors detailed in the Company’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com.

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SOURCE SQI Diagnostics Inc.

Company Codes: OTC-QB:SQIDF, TorontoVE:SQD, OTC-PINK:SQIDF