State of Maryland Allows Point-of-Care Testing for COVID-19; Quidel Expands Training Program

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Quidel Corporation (NASDAQ: QDEL) (“Quidel”), a provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, cellular-based virology assays and molecular diagnostic systems, announced that the State of Maryland has allowed point-of-care testing for COVID-19.

The Maryland Department of Health has allowed point-of-care testing for COVID-19, stating:
“Any healthcare provider or healthcare facility, subject to certain terms and conditions, may perform COVID-19 point-of-care (POC) test analysis pursuant to Executive Order 20-03-23-02.”¹ The order is effective August 10, 2020.

Under the new directive, Maryland residents who believe they should be tested can now contact their healthcare provider, who can order a “COVID-19 test for any individual who believes it necessary, regardless of symptoms.”¹

Quidel Expands Training Program

Separately, as part of its Nursing Home Program, and in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Quidel has expanded its Point-of-Care training protocol to help ensure that nursing home health care workers are appropriately trained in the use of the Sofia® 2 instrument and the Sofia® SARS Antigen FIA. Quidel now offers nursing home customers a multifaceted approach to training including: online self-guided step by step videos, live virtual training events, certificate programs, Virena® data management system connection and other support functions via Quidel’s dedicated nursing home site: togetheragain.quidel.com.

Quidel currently sells several different Sofia assays in the United States, including the Sofia® SARS Antigen FIA under FDA EUA and other FDA-cleared and CLIA-waived assays, including tests for Influenza A and B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Group A Strep, and a 15-minute finger-stick whole blood test for Lyme Disease. In addition, Quidel also markets Sofia® tests for Lyme Disease, Legionella, and S. pneumoniae in Europe.

_______________________________________________
¹https://www.mbp.state.md.us/forms/05062020ExecOrder.pdf

About Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation serves to enhance the health and well-being of people around the globe through the development of diagnostic solutions that can lead to improved patient outcomes and provide economic benefits to the healthcare system. Marketed under the Sofia®, QuickVue®, D3® Direct Detection, Thyretain®, Triage® and InflammaDry® leading brand names, as well as under the new Solana®, AmpliVue® and Lyra® molecular diagnostic brands, Quidel’s products aid in the detection and diagnosis of many critical diseases and conditions, including, among others, COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, Strep A, lyme, herpes, pregnancy, thyroid disease and fecal occult blood. Quidel’s Triage® system of tests comprises a comprehensive test menu that provides rapid, cost-effective treatment decisions at the point-of-care (POC), offering a diverse immunoassay menu in a variety of tests to provide diagnostic answers for quantitative BNP, CK-MB, d-dimer, myoglobin, troponin I and qualitative TOX Drug Screen. Quidel’s research and development engine is also developing a continuum of diagnostic solutions from advanced immunoassay to molecular diagnostic tests to further improve the quality of healthcare in physicians’ offices and hospital and reference laboratories. For more information about Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio and to explore exciting employment opportunities, visit quidel.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that involve material risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Many possible events or factors could affect our future financial results and performance, such that our actual results and performance may differ materially from those that may be described or implied in the forward-looking statements. As such, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Differences in actual results and performance may arise as a result of a number of factors including, without limitation: the impact of the novel virus (COVID-19) global pandemic; an inability to agree on a definitive agreement or meet key deliverables and milestones under the NIH’s RADx-ATP contract; adverse changes in competitive conditions, the reimbursement system currently in place and future changes to that system, changes in economic conditions in our domestic and international markets, lower than anticipated market penetration of our products, our reliance on sales of our influenza and other respiratory or novel virus diagnostic tests, fluctuations in our operating results resulting from the timing of the onset, length and severity of cold and flu seasons, seasonality, government and media attention focused on influenza and other respiratory or novel viruses and the related potential impact on humans from such viruses, the quantity of our product in our distributors’ inventory or distribution channels, changes in the buying patterns of our distributors, and changes in the healthcare market and consolidation of our customer base; our development, acquisition and protection of proprietary technology rights; our development of new technologies, products and markets; our reliance on a limited number of key distributors; our exposure to claims and litigation that could result in significant expenses and could ultimately result in an unfavorable outcome for us, including the ongoing litigation between us and Beckman Coulter, Inc.; intellectual property risks, including but not limited to, infringement litigation; our need for additional funds to finance our capital or operating needs; the financial soundness of our customers and suppliers; acceptance of our products among physicians and other healthcare providers; competition with other providers of diagnostic products; failures or delays in receipt of new product reviews or related to currently-marketed products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) or other regulatory authorities or loss of any previously received regulatory approvals or clearances or other adverse actions by regulatory authorities; changes in government policies; costs of and adverse operational impact from failure to comply with government regulations in addition to FDA regulations; compliance with government regulations relating to the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances; third-party reimbursement policies and potential cost constraints; our failure to comply with laws and regulations relating to billing and payment for healthcare services; our ability to meet demand for our products; interruptions in our supply of raw materials; product defects; business risks not covered by insurance; costs and disruptions from failures in our information technology and storage systems; our exposure to data corruption, cyber-based attacks, security breaches and privacy violations; competition for and loss of management and key personnel; international risks, including but not limited to, compliance with product registration requirements, compliance with legal requirements, tariffs, exposure to currency exchange fluctuations and foreign currency exchange risk, longer payment cycles, lower selling prices and greater difficulty in collecting accounts receivable, reduced protection of intellectual property rights, social, political and economic instability, increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities, taxes, and diversion of lower priced international products into U.S. markets; changes in tax rates and exposure to additional tax liabilities or assessments; risks relating to our acquisition and integration of the Triage MeterPro Cardiovascular and toxicology business and B-type Naturietic Peptide assay business (the “Triage and BNP Businesses”); that we may have to write off goodwill relating to our acquisitions; our ability to manage our growth strategy and identify and integrate acquired companies or technologies and our ability to obtain financing; the level of our indebtedness and deferred payment obligations; our ability to generate sufficient cash to meet our debt service and deferred and contingent payment obligations; that our Revolving Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets; the agreements for our indebtedness place operating and financial restrictions on us and our ability to operate our business; that an event of default could trigger acceleration of our outstanding indebtedness; that we may incur additional indebtedness; increases in interest rate relating to our variable rate debt; dilution resulting from future sales of our equity; volatility in our stock price; provisions in our charter documents, Delaware law and the indenture governing our Convertible Senior Notes that might delay or impede stockholder actions with respect to business combinations or similar transactions; our intention of not paying dividends; and our ability to identify and successfully acquire and integrate potential acquisition targets. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by the use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “might,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “intend,” “goal,” “project,” “strategy,” “future,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. The risks described in reports and registration statements that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time, should be carefully considered. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revision or update of these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200810005805/en/