Biosite(R) and Henry Schein Sign Distribution Agreement for
Physician Office Segment
More Physicians to Have Access to Rapid, Point-of-Care Test for Congestive
Heart Failure; Disease Impacts 5 Million Americans Every Year
SAN DIEGO, July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biosite Incorporated
(NASDAQ:BSTE), a leading provider of novel, rapid diagnostics that improve
diagnosis of critical diseases and conditions, today announced it has signed a
distribution agreement with Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ:HSIC), the largest
distributor of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners
in the combined North American and European markets. Under the agreement,
Henry Schein will mobilize its in-house and field-based sales resources to
offer Biosite's point-of-care diagnostic products, including its market-
leading Triage(R) BNP Test for congestive heart failure, to physician office
laboratories in the United States.
"We are pleased to extend our reach into physician office laboratories through
the addition of Henry Schein to our network of distributors," said Kim
Blickenstaff, Biosite's president and chief executive officer. "Henry Schein's
market presence and experienced sales force adds depth to our physician office
laboratory sales effort and should help us provide physicians with greater
access to important diagnostic tests that help detect and assess diseases." Biosite's rapid diagnostic tests provide results in approximately 15 minutes,
ensuring that testing can be performed while a patient waits. The Company's
leading product, the Triage BNP Test, aids in the diagnosis and assessment of
severity of congestive heart failure and risk stratification of patients with
acute coronary syndromes. The American Heart Association estimates 5 million
people in the United States have congestive heart failure, with 550,000 new
cases discovered every year.
The Triage BNP Test was the first commercially available test for measurement
of BNP. A 1,586 patient study, sponsored in part by Biosite and published in
the July 18, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, validated the
utility of using BNP as an aid in the diagnosis of heart failure. The Triage
BNP Test is used in approximately 2,600 acute care hospitals and 300 physician
office laboratories in the United States.
For information about how to order Biosite products, please contact Biosite at
(888) BIOSITE (246-7483), ext 11, or email: .
About Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company, is recognized for its excellent
customer service and highly competitive prices. The Company's four business
groups -- Dental, Medical, International and Technology -- serve more than
425,000 customers worldwide, including dental practices and laboratories,
physician practices and veterinary clinics, as well as government and other
institutions. Henry Schein's sales reached a record $3.4 billion in 2003.
Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network,
which provides customers in more than 125 countries with a comprehensive
selection of over 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs nearly 8,000 people in 16
countries. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at
http://www.henryschein.com/.
About Biosite Incorporated A leader in the drive to advance diagnosis, Biosite(R) Incorporated is a
research-based company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel
protein-based diagnostics that improve a physician's ability to diagnose
debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Through combined expertise in
diagnostic discovery and commercialization, Biosite is able to access potential
markers of disease, identify proteins with high diagnostic utility, develop and
commercialize products and educate the medical community on new diagnostic
approaches, thereby benefiting patients. Biosite's Triage(R) rapid diagnostics
are used in approximately 50 percent of U.S. hospitals and in more than 50
international markets for toxicology screening and diagnosis of infectious and
cardiovascular disease. Information on Biosite can be found at
http://www.biosite.com/.
Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in
this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not
limited to statements that are preceded by, followed by, or that include the
words "will"; "believes"; "should"; "intends"; "anticipates"; "plans";
"expects"; "estimates"; or similar statements are forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include risks associated with Henry Schein's effect on
Biosite's sales to the physician office laboratories, changing market
conditions, sales, profitability, and the extent to which our products and
products under development are successfully developed and gain market
acceptance. Other risks that should be considered include, risks associated
with the introduction of competitive products from companies with greater
capital and resources, and risks and expenses associated with litigation,
contract disputes, patent conflicts, product recalls, manufacturing
constraints, backlog, delays, or inefficiencies, shipment problems, seasonal
customer demand, the timing of significant orders, changes in reimbursement
policies, competitive pressures on average selling prices, changes in the mix
of products sold, and the other risks detailed Biosite's most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other SEC filings. The
Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these
forward-looking statements. Copies of Biosite's public disclosure filings are
available from the investor relations department.
Biosite(R), Triage(R) and New Dimensions in Diagnosis(R) are registered
trademarks of Biosite Incorporated. The Company's logo is a trademark of
Biosite Incorporated. DATASOURCE: Biosite Incorporated CONTACT: Nadine Padilla, Vice President, Corporate & Investor Relations, ext. 3187, , or Nicole Palmer, ext. 3686, , both of Biosite, Inc., +1-858-455-4808 Web site: http://www.biosite.com/ http://www.henryschein.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/116737.html
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