ViroLogic Announces New Jersey Medicaid Initiates Policy Covering HIV Drug Resistance Tests

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- ViroLogic, Inc. today announced that the New Jersey Medicaid Program has initiated a benefit coverage policy for phenotypic and genotypic HIV drug resistance testing, effective Nov. 1, 2003. New Jersey joins 47 other states and the District of Columbia to implement Medicaid policies enabling reimbursement of the company's HIV drug resistance assays.

New Jersey has the fifth highest incidence of cumulative reported AIDS cases. This includes the highest percentage of women reported with AIDS and the third highest number of reported pediatric AIDS cases. Medicaid is the single largest payer for these patient populations.

"Drug resistance threatens the recent gains made in treating HIV infection. HIV resistance testing offers clinicians the ability to adjust patient treatment accordingly. This new policy provides further validation of the utility of our resistance tests to manage HIV infection and will expand accessibility for many more patients who are likely to benefit from this important technology," said Tien Bui, ViroLogic's vice president of sales and marketing.

In addition to statewide Medicaid coverage, Medicare and many private payers, including but not limited to Aetna US Healthcare, BlueCross BlueShield, Humana and United HealthCare provide reimbursement and benefit coverage for ViroLogic's HIV drug resistance assays. Several key states and the District of Columbia also provide funding for Ryan White Title programs.

ViroLogic is a biotechnology company advancing individualized medicine by discovering, developing and marketing innovative products to guide and improve treatment of serious viral diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.

Source: ViroLogic, Inc.