Business
MedMira Partner Vitest Signs Exclusive Agreement with Red Cross Nigeria to Provide 2 Million Rapid HIV Tests
MedMira Partner Vitest Signs Exclusive Agreement with Red Cross Nigeria to Provide 2 Million Rapi...
About this update from Medmira Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n Jun. 14, 2010 (Canada NewsWire Group) -- MedMira Inc., ("MedMira") (TSX Venture: MIR, NASDAQ: MMIRF), a developer of rapid diagnostic technology and solutions, today announced that the Company's strategic business development partner for Africa, Vitest AG, has signed an exclusive agreement with the Nigerian Red Cross Society to provide two million MedMira rapid HIV tests under private label. This two million test order is the first part of a broader, long term partnership between Vitest and the Red Cross to enhance public awareness of HIV and testing programs within Nigeria.\n"Our exclusive contract with the Red Cross is a milestone in our efforts to create long term partnerships in Africa. The Red Cross in Nigeria has been conducting a rigorous evaluation of the quality, ease of use, and technical support associated with the product over the last six months. The results have been excellent and together with the other successful studies recently completed in South Africa, Congo, and Kenya we were able to provide clinical and field results that have proven that this test is most suitable for the African market," said Markus M. Meile, CEO, Vitest AG. "The process of establishing and proving the capabilities of this product in Africa seemed lengthy, however it is a challenging environment with an elevated level of scepticism due to past issues with inferior quality rapid tests failing to meet the needs and standards of the African market, which are now quite high."\nVitest was approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to sell MedMira rapid HIV tests under a private label brand in Nigeria in 2009. Vitest plans to introduce other rapid diagnostics from MedMira, including multiple tests for HIV in combination with other infectious diseases such as syphilis and tuberculosis, to the Nigerian market in the near future.\n"Vitest is making remarkable progress in Africa and in particular Nigeria. Together we are building a solid market presence in Africa by establishing key relationships with top tier humanitarian organizations such as the Nigerian Red Cross Society. Working with these organizations brings us credibility in the market place as well as sustainable long term revenue channels," said Hermes Chan, CEO, MedMira Inc. "The level of act...