ELMWOOD PARK, N.J.,
Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- BioReference Laboratories, Inc., an OPKO Health company
(NASDAQ:OPK), is now accepting specimens for a new multiplex
COVID-19 and influenza test for use by healthcare providers,
clinics and health systems throughout the
United States, to aid in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and
Influenza A or B (flu).
Differentiating COVID-19 and Influenza A or B infection(s) is
especially important, as symptoms of COVID-19 and seasonal
respiratory infections can be similar. BioReference offers a
multiplex test for COVID-19 and Influenza A and B, using a
single sample. This allows for more rapid diagnosis, conserves
critical testing supplies, and provides surveillance for flu and
COVID-19. Identifying the correct infectious agent, especially in
high-risk populations, will allow for early treatment and
appropriate management.
The multiplex test may be performed on healthcare
provider-collected nasal and nasopharyngeal swab
specimens, and self-collected nasal swab specimens collected in a
healthcare setting supervised by a healthcare provider.
"As cases of COVID-19 rise, arming healthcare professionals with
reliable laboratory solutions to help achieve an accurate diagnosis
is imperative in limiting the spread of the virus," said
Jon R. Cohen, M.D., Executive
Chairman of BioReference Laboratories. "Patient care is at the
center of our test offering and this multiplex test allows for
healthcare providers to differentiate between COVID-19 and
influenza by swabbing a patient one time."
Specimens from patients to identify COVID-19 disease will not be
obtained at BioReference Patient Service Centers; they will be
collected at physician offices, hospitals or other clinic
settings.
About BioReference Laboratories, Inc.
BioReference
provides comprehensive testing to physicians, clinics, hospitals,
employers, government units, correctional institutions and medical
groups. BioReference has been working expeditiously to
develop and offer test services that will yield high quality and
accurate results, including a molecular test for helping with
COVID-19 diagnosis and a serology test to help indicate possible
COVID-19 exposure. The company is in network with the five largest
health plans in the United States,
operates a network of 11 laboratory locations, and is backed by a
medical staff of more than 120 M.D.,
Ph.D. and other professional level clinicians and scientists.
With a leading position in the areas of genetics, women's health,
maternal fetal medicine, oncology and urology, BioReference and its
specialty laboratories, GenPath and GeneDx, are advancing the
course of modern medicine. For more information,
visit www.bioreference.com.
About OPKO Health, Inc.
OPKO is a multinational
biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company that seeks to establish
industry-leading positions in large, rapidly growing markets by
leveraging its discovery, development, and commercialization
expertise and novel and proprietary technologies. For more
information, visit www.opko.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking
statements," as that term is defined under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA), which statements may be
identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will,"
"may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates,"
and other words of similar meaning, including statements regarding
BioReference's multiplex COVID-19 and influenza test, the ability
of the test to rapidly and accurately identify the correct
infectious agent, and the role and value of the information
provided and its impact on early treatment and appropriate
management. Many factors could cause our actual activities or
results to differ materially from the activities and results
anticipated in forward-looking statements. These factors include
those described in the OPKO Health, Inc. Annual Reports on Form
10-K filed and to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and in its other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. In addition, forward-looking statements may
also be adversely affected by general market factors, competitive
product development, product availability, federal and state
regulations and legislation, the regulatory process for new
products and indications, manufacturing issues that may arise,
patent positions and litigation, among other factors. The
forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak
only as of the date the statements were made, and we do not
undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements. We
intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the
safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA.
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SOURCE BioReference Laboratories, Inc