Health & Fitness
Health and Fitness
Health and Fitness
Wed, June 9, 2010
Tue, June 8, 2010 Biomerica Purchases Patented Technology and Manufacturing Rights for a New TPMT Test to Indentify Individuals at Risk of Develo
IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - June 8, 2010) - Biomerica, Inc. (
Thiopurine drugs suppress the immune system and are used in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, leukemia and lymphoma, autoimmune diseases and skin disorders such as psoriasis and severe eczema. They are also used to treat organ transplants patients. The most commonly used thiopurine drug is called azathioprine. It is estimated that one in every 300 people lacks TPMT, which is an enzyme that helps remove thiopurine drugs from the body when they are present. Individuals who lack the TPMT enzyme can become severely ill if treated with normal doses of thiopurine drugs because toxic levels of the drug accumulate. These patients develop bone marrow suppression, leading to a reduction in blood cells, which in turn can cause infection and abnormal bleeding. Such side effects can be avoided if TPMT is measured before starting treatment.
"Currently there is no simple test a hospital can use to detect TPMT and therefore the sample must be sent to a specialty reference lab, which is more costly, takes time and impedes patient care," said Zackary Irani, CEO of Biomerica. "This new patented test will allow any lab, including hospital labs, to test for TPMT using a simple, quick and easy to use ELISA format."
The Company estimates the product will be available for sale within the next six months. The TPMT product will initially be sold internationally and in the U.S. only after FDA clearance. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Biomerica (
Biomerica, Inc. ([ www.biomerica.com ]) is a global biomedical company that develops, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic products used at the point-of-care (in home and in physicians' offices ) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for the early detection of medical conditions and diseases. The Company's products are designed to enhance the health and well being of people, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica primarily focuses is on products for Diabetes, Gastrointestinal Disease and esoteric testing.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking; such as statements relating to intended launch dates, estimates, FDA clearances, sales potential, significant benefits, market size, growth of business, favorable positions, expansion, expected orders, leading market positions, anticipated future revenues or production volume of the Company, success of product and new product offerings. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, and accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.
