Benzinga | Jan 25, 2022 07:21AM EST

OraSure Technologies, Inc. Expands HIV Oral Swab In-Home Test Into Europe

OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR), a global leader in point-of-care and home diagnostic testing and sample collection technologies, announced today that it has launched its OraQuick(r) HIV Self-Test, an oral swab in-home test for HIV-1 and HIV-2, into Europe. The test will be available in six European countries: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

"We are currently seeing an increase in HIV testing policies, as well as the rise of HIV prevalence around the globe," said Giffin Daughtridge, MD, MBA, Senior Director of Infectious Disease Diagnostics for OraSure Technologies, Inc. "Having initially launched in the U.S. in 2012, we focused on regions in need during the last decade, distributing 76 million tests worldwide, many of which were in Sub-Saharan Africa. We're now expanding into European countries to give people there more choice and access to HIV self testing."

OraQuick(r) is the world's first in-home oral HIV Test. Unlike other HIV self tests, it does not require a finger-prick blood sample. It is a CE-marked, pain-free HIV test that is simple to use, requiring a swipe of the upper gum and lower gum which collects HIV antibodies in oral fluid. The OraQuick HIV Self-Test uses these non-infectious HIV antibodies to detect the presence of HIV. The easy-to-read results are ready in just 20 minutes, with greater than 99 percent accuracy.

"Knowing your HIV status is the first step in helping people to make informed choices and assume responsibility for their own healthcare," Daughtridge said. "If HIV is detected early and virally suppressed, the virus can't be passed on -- meaning together with education, access to therapeutics, and comprehensive clinical support, we have the tools to end this epidemic."

The test will be widely available at pharmacies throughout the six European countries.