OraSure Technologies, Inc. and Leaders in HIV Prevention Open the NASDAQ Stock Market; Company Recognizes National HIV Testing Day

NEW YORK -- Douglas A. Michels, new president and CEO of OraSure Technologies, Inc. presided over the NASDAQ Market Open today.

Joining him at the podium was Ronald Spair, CFO of OraSure Technologies; Marjorie Hill, PhD, assistant commissioner of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III, chairman of the Board, National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS; Debra Fraser-Howze, president  and CEO, National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS; Dennis de Leon, president, Latino Leadership Commission on AIDS; Ana Oliveira, executive director, Gay Men's Health Crisis; Ronald Johnson, associate executive director, Gay Men's Health Crisis; and Dr. Beny Primm, president, Urban Resource Institute.

The NASDAQ Stock Market welcomed OraSure Technologies, Inc., a market leader in oral fluid diagnostics, to the Market Open in observance of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2004.

OraSure announced today that its OraQuick Rapid HIV-1 Antibody Test will be donated to numerous locations across the United States to conduct free HIV testing in observance of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2004.

June 27, 2004 will mark the 10th annual National HIV Testing Day, an annual campaign that encourages at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. According to the CDC, an estimated 280,000 people in the United States currently have the HIV virus but may be unaware that they are infected.

OraSure recently announced FDA approval of its new OraQuick Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test, the first and only rapid, point-of-care test approved by the U.S. FDA for use with oral fluid, fingerstick and venipuncture whole blood, and plasma samples.

OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and markets oral fluid specimen collection devices using proprietary oral fluid technologies, diagnostic products including immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices. These products are sold in the United States as well as internationally to various clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians' offices, and commercial and industrial entities.

OraSure Technologies is the leading supplier of oral-fluid collection devices and assays to the life insurance industry and public health markets for the detection of antibodies to HIV-1. In addition, the company supplies oral-fluid testing solutions for drugs of abuse testing.

 Source: OraSure