Quidel Corporation, a leading provider of rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests, announced an exclusive partnership to provide Roche Pharma AG with the QuickVue influenza A+B rapid diagnostic test for its marketing and selling activities along with its Tamiflu (oseltamivir) antiviral for the 2007-08 influenza season in Germany.
The agreement will leverage the strength and speed of the QuickVue rapid test to help characterize influenza infection (the flu) along with the Tamiflu treatment to improve patient recovery time, announced the company in a press release.
"Vaccination, diagnosis and treatment are the three mainstays of combating seasonal flu. This partnership with Roche and Quidel pairs two leading companies committed to promoting excellence in diagnostic testing and treatment for many patients in a wide range of facilities. This is a further demonstration of our QVB (Quidel Value Build) strategy," said, Caren Mason, president and CEO of Quidel.
"The partnership with Quidel will aid physicians in their prompt diagnosis of influenza infection leading to better and faster decision making on adequate treatment options including Tamiflu and thus faster relief from flu symptoms," said, Dr. Hagen P founder, managing director, Roche.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. On average, anywhere between 10-20 per cent of a given population in Germany will get the flu resulting in ten to twenty thousand hospitalizations, costing the German healthcare system approximately five billion Euro. The QuickVue brand influenza tests, which outsell the nearest competitor three to one in the United States, offer a quick and convenient method with highly accurate results to aid in the diagnosis of influenza infection which can lead to earlier treatment. Tamiflu, the number one doctor-prescribed influenza flu medicine, is approved for the prevention and treatment of influenza in adults and children aged 1 year and older. A new flu virus comes around every winter, infecting people of all ages and causing lost days from school and work. In the late fall and winter, flu outbreaks can begin suddenly, and can spread quickly through local communities, the press release said.
Quidel Corporation serves to enhance the health and well being of people around the globe through the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of rapid diagnostic.