AKR.L Regulatory News (AKR)

3 Apr 2006 13:09

Immediate Release: 3 April 2006 Akers Biosciences Inc. ("Akers" or the "Company") Major Distribution Agreement Akers Biosciences Inc. is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreementwith McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc. of Richmond, Virginia, USA ("McKesson") todistribute Akers' PIFA‚® Heparin / Platelet Factor-4 Rapid Assay to hospital andlaboratory customers in the US. The addition of McKesson will escalate thescale of personnel distributing the product and the regions in which Akers isable to penetrate.Dr. Ray Akers, CEO of Akers Biosciences said, "The broad reach of McKesson intothe US healthcare marketplace provides us with another powerful route todistribute our flagship product, the PIFA‚® Heparin / Platelet Factor-4 RapidAssay. We are fortunate to form an alliance with a partner with provenabilities in creating a significant impact with its products and services inmany different market segments. There is a clear medical need for ourbreakthrough test for Heparin / Platelet Factor-4 antibodies. This alliancewith McKesson is all about making our product even more widely available tohospitals across the U.S."Information on the PIFA‚®HPF-4 antibody test and heparinThe PIFA‚® HPF-4 antibody test is designed to identify patients at risk fordeveloping heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndrome (HITTS), asevere allergic-like side effect associated with the use of the anticoagulantheparin. The distribution agreement announced today will allow the Company tointroduce the PIFA‚® HPF-4 test into hospitals where heparin is administeredduring surgical and other medical procedures.Heparin is the most widely used intravenous anticoagulant and one of the mostwidely prescribed drugs in the United States. More than 1 trillion units areadministered annually to approximately 12 million patients. Intravenous heparinis commonly used for the prophylaxis and treatment of thromboembolic disease,as well as numerous other applications including certain types of lung andheart disorders, and during or after a variety of surgeries including openheart, bypass, dialysis and orthopedic procedures. Heparin is also used fordiagnostic and therapeutic interventional radiologic procedures.Patients with recent exposure to heparin are at a much greater risk fordeveloping HITTS, than are those not having previously been given the drug. Thepresence of Heparin/PF-4 antibody is associated with patients at risk forHITTS, and is rapidly becoming a standard of care in hematology and cardiology.HITTS is caused by heparin-dependent antibodies, which form to the HeparinPlatelet Factor-4 complex, and 1-5% of adults exposed to heparin develop theseantibodies. These antibodies are initially formed when a patient has been onheparin therapy for five or more days. An immune response to a heparin dose maybe observed sooner (1-2 days) if the patient has had previous exposure toheparin. The hallmark symptoms of HITTS are a drastic fall in platelet countand thrombosis. Other symptoms may include cutaneous reactions, from a simpleallergic reaction to lesions to necrosis.The PIFA‚® HPF-4 Antibody Assay is a rapid manual assay and can be easilyperformed when immediate results are required. Because of the rapid progressionof HITTS and its serious potential outcomes, a rapid test result cansignificantly impact the clinical intervention of these patients.McKessonMcKesson is a part of McKesson Corporation headquartered in San Francisco,California., USA. McKesson Corp. is a leading provider of supply, informationand care management products and services designed to reduce costs and improvequality across healthcare. McKesson solutions empower healthcare professionalswith the tools they need to deliver care more effectively and efficiently. As aleading healthcare services company, McKesson delivers vital medicines andsupplies across the street and across the continent. The Company also automatesand improves healthcare processes from inventory management to clinicaldecision-making to medication dispensing. Founded in 1833, with annual revenuesof more than $80 billion, McKesson ranks as the 16th largest industrial companyin the United States.Akers BiosciencesAkers Biosciences, Inc. develops, manufactures, and supplies rapid, point ofcare screening and testing products designed to bring healthcare informationboth rapidly and directly to the patient or healthcare provider. The Companyhas advanced the science of diagnostics while responding to major shifts inhealthcare through the development of several proprietary platformtechnologies. The company's state-of-the-art rapid diagnostic assays can beperformed virtually anywhere in minutes when time is of the essence. Akers hasaligned with major healthcare companies and high volume medical productdistributors to maximize product offerings, and to be a major worldwidecompetitor in diagnostics. Additional information on the Company and itsproducts can be found at www.akersbiosciences.com.Enquiries:Dr. Ray Akers Chief Executive Officer, Akers Biosciences, 020 7917 9476 Inc. Paul Freedman 001 856 848 8698 Chief Financial Officer, Akers Biosciences, Inc. Bill Roberts CTC, Inc. 001 937 434 2700 Ben Simons Hansard Communications 020 7245 1100 ENDAKERS BIOSCIENCES INC