VLGC Virologic (MM)

ViroLogic's Phenosense Assay Shown Superior to Virco's Antivirogram Study Published in JAIDS Finds PhenoSense HIV More Precise Than Antivirogram and Better at Detecting Resistance to Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ViroLogic, Inc. (NASDAQ:VLGC) today announced the publication of results from an independent study that compared the precision and sensitivity of its widely used HIV drug resistance assay PhenoSense(TM) HIV with Antivirogram(R), developed by Virco BVBA. Results from the study, conducted by investigators at Stanford University, showed that PhenoSense HIV is more precise than Antivirogram and is superior in detecting resistance to currently approved nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Study results will be published in the April 1 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. NRTIs are a class of anti-HIV drugs that serve as the foundation of virtually all highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) regimens prescribed today. NRTIs block the enzyme reverse transcriptase, preventing the transformation of viral RNA to DNA. Federal guidelines recommend the inclusion of at least two NRTIs in every regimen for most patients. "Testing of HIV drug resistance is an important tool in the management of HIV therapy," said Robert Shafer, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases at Stanford University, and lead investigator of the study. "In particular, the ability to precisely measure low level changes in susceptibility to NRTIs is critical, as small changes are known to be clinically significant for these drugs. The greater precision and sensitivity of PhenoSense HIV demonstrated in this study may lead to more effective management of HIV treatment relative to Antivirogram." In the study, the precision and sensitivity of each assay was assessed by examining drug resistance in wild-type viruses (those lacking drug resistance mutations) and in viruses with commonly found mutations. A statistical comparison of the two assays showed that PhenoSense HIV was more precise than Antivirogram and was significantly more likely to detect resistance to the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors abacavir (ABC), didanosine (ddI) and stavudine (d4T) in viruses with common drug resistance mutations. The study found no significant differences between the two assays in detecting resistance to protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. About ViroLogic ViroLogic is a biotechnology company advancing individualized medicine by discovering, developing and marketing innovative products to guide and improve treatment of serious infectious diseases and cancer. The Company's products are designed to help doctors optimize treatment regimens for their patients that lead to better outcomes and reduced costs. The Company's technology is also being used by numerous biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to develop new and improved antiviral therapeutics and vaccines as well as targeted cancer therapeutics. More information about the Company and its technology can be found on its web site at http://www.virologic.com/. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking, including statements regarding the role for ViroLogic's tests and tests in development in guiding the therapy of HIV-infected patients. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the performance of our products; our ability to successfully conduct clinical studies and the results obtained from those studies; whether larger confirmatory clinical studies will confirm the results of initial studies; our ability to establish reliable, high-volume operations at commercially reasonable costs; expected reliance on a few customers for the majority of our revenues; the annual renewal of certain customer agreements; actual market acceptance of our products and adoption of our technological approach and products by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; our estimate of the size of our markets; our estimates of the levels of demand for our products; the timing and ultimate size of pharmaceutical company clinical trials; whether payors will authorize reimbursement for its products; whether the FDA or any other agency will decide to regulate ViroLogic's products or services; whether the Company will encounter problems or delays in automating its processes; whether intellectual property underlying the Company's technologies is adequate; whether licenses to third party technology will be available; and, whether we are able to build brand loyalty and expand revenues. For a discussion of other factors that may cause ViroLogic's actual events to differ from those projected, please refer to the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trademarks PhenoSense HIV is a trademark of ViroLogic, Inc. Antivirogram is a registered trademark of Virco BVBA. DATASOURCE: ViroLogic, Inc. CONTACT: Alfred Merriweather, Vice President and CFO of ViroLogic, Inc., +1-650-635-1100; or Carolyn Bumgardner Wang of WeissComm Partners, +1-415-946-1065, or , for ViroLogic, Inc. Web site: http://www.virologic.com/

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