Press release
December 15,
2004
FIND and BD Combine International Efforts to
Improve Rapid Tuberculosis Diagnosis for
HIV-positive Patients in Developing Countries
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August 2005
Related Press
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expanding role of the
laboratory
TB continues to dominate
infectious diseases
globally by its ability
to infect, become
quiescent, and then
reactivate later. Find
out how new tests are
moving us out of the
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By
L. Masae
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Desmond, PhD
details in article from
MLO website [pdf 376kb] |
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Mike Meehan (BD) and
Giorgio Roscigno (FIND) |
Geneva, Switzerland and
Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA – December 15, 2004
– FIND (Foundation for Innovative New
Diagnostics) and BD (Becton, Dickinson and
Company) (NYSE: BDX) today announced an
international collaboration aimed at improving
diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in
HIV-infected patients in developing countries.
Today, TB is the leading cause
of death in AIDS patients in high-burdened
countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. TB is
particularly difficult to diagnose in AIDS
patients because they often have few or no TB
bacteria in their sputum; thus, the standard
diagnostic procedure using microscopy is
insensitive. Classical culture methods for TB
are more sensitive, but notoriously slow,
typically requiring 21 to 42 days. BD has
developed an improved culture method, the BD
MGITTM (Mycobacteria Growth Indicator
Tube) system, which provides results within 10
to 14 days. The BD MGIT technology can be used
both for detection of the bacteria causing TB as
well as for the determination of resistance to
the TB drugs routinely used for treatment. The
BD MGIT system is now widely used in
industrialized countries but not in the
developing world. |
Ed Ludwig, Chairman, President
and Chief Executive Officer, BD, said, “BD is
committed to providing technologies which can
help alleviate the impact of TB and HIV
globally. BD is pleased to enter into this
agreement with FIND, which is aimed at making
these technologies more accessible to the public
health sector of high-burdened countries. ”
"Access to quality diagnostic
equipment in countries with limited health
resources will improve the management of
tuberculosis in HIV positive patients,” said Dr.
Mario Raviglione, Director of the World Health
Organization (WHO) Stop TB Department. “This new
agreement provides a blueprint for modern TB
technology to be made more widely available
globally, which will help reduce TB deaths and
decrease transmission rates in high risk areas.”
The agreement between FIND and
BD will operate in two stages.
Demonstration Projects
First, FIND will perform and
support projects using certain BD equipment,
reagents, training and support to be purchased
from BD in an effort to demonstrate the
effectiveness of more rapid and accurate TB
diagnosis in settings where TB and HIV are
common and in areas with high prevalence of
multiple drug resistant TB. FIND will conduct
these projects in close cooperation with WHO,
the relevant working groups of the Stop TB
Partnership, and the Consortium to Respond
Effectively to the AIDS/TB Epidemic (CREATE)
based at the Johns Hopkins Center for TB
Research. The goal of these demonstration
projects is to promote the use of this
technology by national TB control and AIDS
programs.
According to Dr. G. Roscigno,
CEO of FIND, “The collaboration with BD in the
MGIT project is a significant and innovative
step forward for FIND. FIND’s demonstration
projects using the BD MGIT technology will pave
the way for the introduction of critical
technologies in the public health sector of
developing countries while contributing to a
reduction in mortality particularly in HIV / TB
patients.”
Implementation
The second stage is focused on
sustainable implementation of this advanced
diagnostic technology in the public health
sector. Under this agreement, BD has committed
to provide certain equipment, reagents, training
and support to the public health sector in the
high-burdened countries on terms which will
enable them to be purchased and implemented on a
sustainable basis.
Helene Gayle, President of the
International AIDS Society (IAS) and Director,
HIV, TB and Reproductive Health Program at the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said, “We are
particularly pleased that this innovative
collaboration between BD and FIND is addressing
one of the most urgent needs of the TB and HIV
community in the developing world.”
About FIND
FIND is the only non-profit
organization dedicated solely to the development
of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases in
developing countries. FIND was established with
funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Driven by the huge burden of
disease, the existence of global control
strategies and the capacity to treat detected
cases, FIND has selected tuberculosis as an
initial disease focus.
About BD
BD is a medical technology
company that serves healthcare institutions,
life science researchers, clinical laboratories,
industry and the general public. BD manufactures
and sells a broad range of medical supplies,
devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic
products. For the fiscal year ended September
30, 2004, BD reported total revenues of $4.935
billion.
This press release may contain certain
forward-looking statements (as defined under
Federal securities laws) regarding BD's
performance, including future revenues, cash
flows, products and income, or events or
developments that BD expects to occur or
anticipates occurring in the future. All such
statements are based upon current expectations
of BD and involve a number of business risks and
uncertainties. Actual results could vary
materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any
forward-looking statement. Factors that could
cause actual results to vary materially from any
forward-looking statement include, but are not
limited to: competitive factors; pricing and
market share pressures; changes in interest or
foreign currency exchange rates; difficulties
inherent in product development and delays in
product introductions; changes in regional,
national or foreign economic conditions;
increases in energy costs; fluctuations in costs
and availability of raw materials and in BD's
ability to maintain favorable supplier
arrangements and relationships; and changes in
healthcare or other governmental regulation;
issuance of new or revised accounting standards,
as well as other factors discussed in this press
release and in BD's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to
update any forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date hereof
except as required by applicable laws or
regulations.
Related
Document
BD website:
www.bd.com
Contacts:
FIND:
Dr
Giorgio Roscigno
BD Public Relations:
Barbara
Kalavik
Press Releases
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