AKR.L Share News (AKR)

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Diagnostic company Akers Biosciences Inc. (AKR.LN) Monday said it has signed a major distribution agreement with Fisher HealthCare to distribute its PIFA Heparin/PF4 Rapid Assay products. The company's PIFA Heparin/PF4 Rapid Assay is the only U.S. Food & Drug Administration-cleared, single-use device marketed in the U.S. to determine if a patient being treated with the blood thinner, Heparin, may be developing a drug allergy, known as Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia. If this happens, exposure to Heparin will have the opposite effect of its intended use and may cause life or limb-threatening blood clots. Akers Biosciences said the deal with Fisher HealthCare--part of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO)--would mean almost all hospitals in the U.S. are exposed to its products and would also more than double the number of salespeople marketing the PIFA HPF4 test in the U.S. Akers Biosciences President and Chief Executive Thomas Nicolette, said the company was confident the distribution deal will lead to increasing sales of one of its core products. -By Rachael Gormley, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9308; rachael.gormley@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 14, 2010 03:09 ET (07:09 GMT)