Focus Technologies has entered into a semi-exclusive agreement with ViroNovative B.V. to become the first laboratory in the United States to license ViroNovative's rights to nucleic acid diagnostic testing for human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Human metapneumovirus is a newly discovered human viral respiratory pathogen that causes a spectrum of respiratory symptoms ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe bronchitis.

Focus Technologies specializes in infectious disease diagnostic testing services and products and has recently announced the first available testing services for SARS-associated coronavirus infections. Focus plans to offer hMPV nucleic acid referral testing services to hospitals and independent laboratories by August 2003.

Prof. Dr. Ab Osterhaus and a team of scientists in The Netherlands, that included Dr. Jan Groen who joined Focus Technologies in 2003, first described human metapneumovirus in 2001. These scientists isolated the virus from young children with respiratory disease and determined, using banked sera, that the disease has been present though unrecognized in Europe for more than 50 years.

Subsequent studies reported the virus in children in Australia and Canada, supporting the contention that this newly discovered virus is ubiquitous. Preliminary studies in the US indicate that incidence of hMPV among hospitalized patients with respiratory symptoms vary between 7-11%.

"This new testing capability for hMPV fits well with our extensive menu of infectious disease assays for new or emerging pathogens," said Charles C. Harwood, Jr., President and CEO of Focus Technologies. "Bringing a nucleic acid testing service to the market will help physicians in the US to properly diagnose children with this serious respiratory disease."