Last checked at 18 Feb 2014 07:00
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc
("EKF" or the "Company")
Quo-Lab registration in Mexico
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF), the AIM listed point-of-care diagnostics business, announces that it has successfully completed registration of its Quo-Lab HbA1c analyser in Mexico. Following registration, EKF Diagnostics will have access to the entire Mexican health market, to include the opportunity to bid for a number of government tenders that are anticipated to be published in 2014.
The Quo-Lab A1c analyser was launched by EKF in July 2012 and has sold more than 1,700 units throughout the world. HbA1c (also known as Glycated Haemoglobin) is widely used as the measurement for monitoring diabetes and has been recognised as the most effective monitoring method by both the World Health Organisation and NICE in the UK.
Diabetes is an increasing problem in Mexico where changes in lifestyle for a large proportion of the population have led to an epidemic in the condition. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that 15% of the Mexican population aged 20-79 years are diabetic and that more than 70,000 people die every year as a result of complications caused by diabetes.
Julian Baines, Group CEO of EKF Diagnostics said, "Mexico is an important market for EKF. We have seen significant growth in sales of our HemoPoint H2 haemoglobin analyser in Mexico, and we anticipate that the registration of Quo-Lab will allow us to enter new markets that will deliver incremental growth for the business."
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc | Tel: 029 2071 0570 | |
David Evans, Executive Chairman | Mob: 07740 084 452 | |
Julian Baines, CEO | Mob: 07788 420 859 | |
Paul Foulger, Finance Director | Mob: 07710 989 255 | |
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Canaccord Genuity Limited | Tel: 020 7523 8350 | |
Lucy Tilley / Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / Julian Feneley | ||
Walbrook PR Limited | Tel: 020 7933 8780 or ekf@walbrookpr.com | |
Paul McManus | Mob: 07980 541 893 | |
Paul Cornelius | Mob: 07866 384 707 | |
Notes:
HbA1c measurement determines the amount of glucose in hemoglobin over the lifespan of a red blood cell - approximately 3-4 months. This has benefits over glucose testing which can be effected by the intake of food and drink prior to test being undertaken.
About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc - www.ekfdiagnostics.com
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc was formed in July 2010 following the acquisition of EKF-diagnostic GmbH for €14.32m and refocused its strategy to one of building a substantial point of care diagnostics business. As part of this strategy, the Group has integrated three further acquisitions, Quotient Diagnostics Limited (acquired in October 2010), Argutus Medical Limited (acquired in December 2010) and Stanbio Laboratory L.P. (acquired in June 2011). In 2013 EKF established a new subsidiary, EKF Molecular Diagnostics Ltd, to focus on molecular and companion diagnostics and acquired 360 Genomics Ltd, a business that owns diagnostics technologies for cancer gene detection.
The Company, with its head office in Cardiff and operations in London, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ireland and the US, is a leading diagnostics business, focussing on the development, production and distribution of chemical reagents and analysers for the testing of Glucose, Lactate, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and HbA1c.
In May 2011 EKF entered into a distribution agreement with Alere Inc ("Alere"), a global diagnostics company, under which Alere was appointed the exclusive distributor of EKF's CLIA waived Hemo Control device and cuvettes in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. The device is distributed in the US under the name HemoPoint H2.