Chiron Opens State-of-the-Art Blood Screening Lab in China
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Posted by Source: Chiron Corporation on November 06, 2003 at 08:24:25:
Chiron Opens State-of-the-Art Blood Screening Lab in China
Thursday November 6, 8:02 am ET Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) Center Utilizing Procleix(R) Assays EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chiron Corporation (Nasdaq: CHIR - News) today announced the opening of a Chiron nucleic acid testing (NAT) lab in China as part of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Beijing Blood Center. The Chiron NAT Lab will be utilized initially as a clinical trial site required for product registration in China. The NAT lab will utilize Procleix HIV-1/HCV Assay, which tests simultaneously for the HIV-1 and hepatitis C (HCV) virus in donated blood. The opening of this laboratory will increase Chiron's visibility in the Asian market and provide the company with a platform for potential future growth in the region. "The opening of the Procleix lab in China represents an important milestone in Chiron's commitment to expand blood safety globally," said Jack Goldstein, president, Chiron Blood Testing. "China is committed to adding new layers of safety to the nation's blood supply. We hope to continue to build on the excellent partnership that we have established with Chinese health authorities as we move forward in introducing Procleix into the Chinese market." Dr. Goldstein and Dr. George Kuo, Chiron Fellow and co-discoverer of the HCV virus, will participate in this historic event. At the center's opening, Chiron will unveil plans for a multi-center scientific study to establish and evaluate the epidemiology of transfusion-transmitted diseases in China, particularly HIV. The study will be conducted by Johns Hopkins University and is being sponsored by Chiron Blood Testing. About Procleix Chiron's Procleix Assays and Systems incorporate state-of-the-art nucleic acid testing (NAT) technology to directly detect viral RNA and DNA in donated blood and plasma during the very early stages of infection, when these infectious agents are present but cannot be detected by immunodiagnostic screening technologies. The Procleix HIV-1/HCV Assay, developed in collaboration with Gen-Probe Incorporated, has been commercially available in Europe since 1999 and is approved for use in the United States and many other European and Asia Pacific countries. The Procleix Ultrio(TM) Assay, which detects HIV-1, HCV and HBV in a single test, will be commercially available in Europe in early 2004. For more information about Chiron Blood Testing, visit www.eBloodBank.com. About Chiron Chiron Corporation, headquartered in Emeryville, California, is a global pharmaceutical company that leverages a diverse business model to develop and commercialize high-value products that make a difference in people's lives. The company has a strategic focus on cancer and infectious disease. Chiron applies its advanced understanding of the biology of cancer and infectious disease to develop products from its platforms in proteins, small molecules and vaccines. The company commercializes its products through three business units: BioPharmaceuticals, Vaccines and Blood Testing. For more information about Chiron, visit the company's website at www.chiron.com. This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding sales growth, product development initiatives, new product indications and new product marketing, that involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change. A full discussion of the company's operations and financial condition, including factors that may affect its business and future prospects, is contained in documents the company has filed with the SEC, including the form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2003, and the form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, and will be contained in all subsequent periodic filings made with the SEC. These documents identify important factors that could cause the company's actual performance to differ from current expectations, including the outcome of clinical trials, regulatory review and approvals, manufacturing capabilities, intellectual property protections and defenses, stock-price and interest-rate volatility, and marketing effectiveness. In particular, there can be no assurance that Chiron will increase sales of existing products, successfully develop and receive approval to market new products, or achieve market acceptance for such new products. In addition, the company may engage in business opportunities, the successful completion of which are subject to certain risks, including shareholder and regulatory approvals and the integration of operations.
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