Medi-Cal Expands Coverage of Baseline HIV Resistance Testing
June 18 2007 - 7:31PM
PR Newswire (US)
Monogram Spearheads Effort to Improve Disease Management for All
HIV Patients and Physicians SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 18
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monogram Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGRM)
announced today that Medi-Cal has expanded its coverage of HIV
resistance testing to include treatment naive patients as well as
patients failing therapy. While genotypic resistance testing has
traditionally been covered for patients who fail anti-HIV
treatment, the expanded coverage allows for baseline genotypic
resistance testing for all HIV infected patients, including those
who are newly diagnosed and who are treatment naive. Medi-Cal is
California's Medicaid program, which provides medical service
coverage for low-income and disabled individuals. This coverage
expansion was driven by scientific evidence that documents an
increasing prevalence of patients who become infected with drug
resistant virus: up to 16% in some geographic areas. Drug resistant
virus may persist during the pre-treatment phase of HIV infection.
The BGRT identifies anti-HIV drugs likely to be ineffective, when
treatment becomes necessary, even when begun months or years later.
Evidence shows BGRT guided initial therapy results in longer time
of viral suppression. The evidence was compiled by physician
experts whose efforts were supported by Monogram Biosciences and
advocates working to better the lives of patients living with HIV.
Guideline recommendations from a antiretroviral guidelines Panel
convened by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of
AIDS Research Advisory Council and the Henry J. Kaiser Family
Foundation documents scientific evidence that supports expanding
BGRT coverage to include chronically infected HIV treatment na�ve
patients. Specifically, the Panel recommended performing BGRT prior
to initiating antiretroviral therapy in patients with acute or
chronic HIV infection. "We applaud Medi-Cal for setting coverage
policies designed to bring personalized care to patients infected
with HIV." says Tien Bui, Monogram Vice President of Medical
Affairs. "Medi-Cal's coverage expansion is an important step
towards ensuring that HIV patients and their physicians across
California can make the best, most informed treatment decisions
possible." For more information on the New Policy and Frequency
Restrictions for HIV Drug Resistance Testing please visit the
following section of the Medi-Cal website:
http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/publications/bulletins/ob/obbull_e.asp
About Monogram Biosciences, Inc. Monogram is advancing
individualized medicine by discovering, developing and marketing
innovative products to guide and improve treatment of serious
infectious diseases and cancer. The Company's products are designed
to help doctors optimize treatment regimens for their patients that
lead to better outcomes and reduced costs. The Company's technology
is also being used by numerous biopharmaceutical companies to
develop new and improved antiviral therapeutics and vaccines as
well as targeted cancer therapeutics. More information about the
Company and its technology can be found on its web site at
http://www.monogrambio.com/. Forward Looking Statements Certain
statements in this press release are forward-looking. These
forward-looking statements include references to the potential for
an HIV drug that requires a molecular diagnostic for patient
selection. These forward- looking statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results
to differ materially from the anticipated results or other
expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk
that regulatory authorities may not require a molecular diagnostic
for patient selection for an HIV drug, risks related to the
implementation of the collaboration with Pfizer; risks and
uncertainties relating to the performance of our products; the
growth in revenues; the size, timing and success or failure of any
clinical trials for CCR5 inhibitors or entry inhibitors; the use of
our Co-Receptor Tropism Assay for patient use in the event of
approval of any CCR5 inhibitors; our ability to successfully
conduct clinical studies and the results obtained from those
studies; whether larger confirmatory clinical studies will confirm
the results of initial studies; our ability to establish reliable,
high-volume operations at commercially reasonable costs; expected
reliance on a few customers for the majority of our revenues; the
annual renewal of certain customer agreements; actual market
acceptance of our products and adoption of our technological
approach and products by pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies; our estimate of the size of our markets; our estimates
of the levels of demand for our products; the impact of
competition; whether payors will authorize reimbursement for our
products and services; whether the FDA or any other agency will
decide to further regulate our products or services; whether we
will encounter problems or delays in automating our processes; the
ultimate validity and enforceability of our patent applications and
patents; the possible infringement of the intellectual property of
others; whether licenses to third party technology will be
available; whether we are able to build brand loyalty and expand
revenues; and whether we will be able to raise sufficient capital
in the future, if required. For a discussion of other factors that
may cause our actual events to differ from those projected, please
refer to our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake, and
specifically disclaim any obligation, to revise any forward-looking
statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or
unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such
statements. Trofile is a trademark of Monogram Biosciences, Inc.
Contacts: Alfred G. Merriweather Jeremiah Hall Chief Financial
Officer Feinstein Kean Healthcare Tel: 650 624-4576 Tel: 415
677-2700 DATASOURCE: Monogram Biosciences, Inc. CONTACT: Alfred G.
Merriweather, Chief Financial Officer of Monogram Biosciences,
Inc., +1-650-624-4576, ; or Jeremiah Hall of Feinstein Kean
Healthcare, +1-415-677-2700, Web site: http://www.monogrambio.com/
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