A Medical Device Daily

Diagnostic Hybrids (DHI; Athens, Ohio) reported the release of its D³ Ultra 8 DFA Respiratory Virus Screening & Identification Kit for the Canadian market.

The company said Ultra 8 is the only commercially available monoclonal antibody blend that detects and identifies eight major respiratory viruses — including human metapneumovirus — in direct patient specimens and cell culture by immunofluorescence.

Direct specimen results are available in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.

DHI said that when combined with its R-Mix and R-Mix Too Mixed FreshCells cell culture systems, multi-virus results can be obtained in as little as 24 hours for influenza A and B, and less than 48 hours for MPV, RSV, adenovirus and parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3.

Ron Lollar, senior director of product management & marketing for DHI, said, "Metapneumovirus infection is especially prevalent in infants and elderly patients, but is often indistinguishable from RSV infection, making it difficult to prevent cross-infections through accurate patient isolation and cohorting."

He said, "The addition of antibodies against metapneumovirus antigens to our premier D³ Respiratory Virus Screening and Identification Kit allows laboratories to identify the eight major respiratory viruses in a clinically relevant time frame, allowing physicians to make decisions based on a definitive diagnosis instead of on symptoms alone."

The D³ Ultra 8 system includes the Flocked Swab/UTM for specimen collection and transport, the R-Mix and R-Mix Too mixed cell culture systems.

The complete respiratory testing system, including the D³ Ultra 8 DFA kit is available in select international markets.

Diagnostic Hybrids develops diagnostic and analytical products for a wide range of viral respiratory diseases, herpes virus infections and other specific viral and thyroid diseases.

The company also develops genetically engineered cell-based detection products for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, with an initial focus on pharmacology assays and products that measure drug clearance and anti-viral interventions with drugs and vaccines.

Exclusive distribution deal reached

Winner Medical Group (Shenzen, China) said it has entered into an agreement with Shanghai Hongsong Co. (Shanghai, China), under which Shanghai Hongsong will exclusively sell the company's "Winner" brand products in Shanghai for a one-year period that began in September, with the focus on marketing the products to hospitals.

Shanghai Hongsong is one of the top distributors of medical dressing products in Shanghai, and Winner Medical said this agreement enables it to enter the lucrative Shanghai hospital market for the first time.

Shanghai has a population of more than 20 million and is the richest metropolitan area in China measured by GDP per capita, according to Winner Medical.

Jianquan Li, chairman/CEO of Winner Medical, said, "We are pleased to establish partnership with Shanghai Hongsong. This first strategic move into the affluent Shanghai market represents an improved step in expanding our footprint and enhancing Winner's brand profile in the domestic market."

He added, "The domestic metropolitan markets in China have enormous potential. Our partnerships with distributors in Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Hunan Province demonstrate progression of our strategy to expand sales of medical care and homecare products in the domestic market."

Li said Winner Medical's domestic market expansion "has benefited from continuous economic growth in China, increased expenditure per capita on medical products and devices, increased government expenditure within the medical sector in rural areas, as well as government reforms aimed to build a more stringently regulated healthcare market in China."

Winner Medical said it is the largest exporter by volume in the medical and wound care products industry in China. It has eight wholly-owned manufacturing and distribution facilities, four joint-venture factories and more than 5,000 employees.

Acquisition planned by Hong Kong firm

Quality Healthcare Asia Ltd. (Hong Kong) said it has agreed to acquire the entire issued share capital of GHC, a holding company with subsidiaries operating 18 GHC medical centers and a cosmetic specialist center in Hong Kong, for a consideration of HK$29.6 million.

Quality Healthcare is principally engaged in the provision of medical services, elderly care services, nursing agency, physiotherapy, dental and other services, with an extensive network of medical centers in key business districts in Hong Kong.

It said the acquisition of GHC supports its corporate strategy of expanding its network presence and service offerings into key residential areas, to provide convenient and comprehensive healthcare services to the Hong Kong community.

"GHC is an excellent acquisition for us because they have an extensive network of medical centers in residential areas, particularly in the New Territories," said CEO Dr. Lincoln Chee. "This acquisition will enable Quality Healthcare to increase its geographical presence and footprint throughout Hong Kong and to strengthen our community medicine and private patient offerings."

The deal is expected to close by Oct. 31, subject to certain conditions stated in the sales and purchase agreement.

UAE order for Calypte's Aware test

Calypte Biomedical (Lake Oswego, Oregon), a developer of HIV diagnostic tests, said it has received an order for 50,000 of its Aware HIV-1/2 OMT test from LifeLine Scientific, its newly appointed distributor for the United Arab Emirates and several other countries in the region.

The company said the purchase is the first large order resulting from a newly implemented sales initiative.

Newly named President/CEO Donald Taylor said, "I am delighted to announce that our local office in Dubai has signed such a significant order. LifeLine Scientific is affiliated with a leading provider of healthcare in Abu Dhabi and has direct access to an expansive network of hospitals and pharmacies through which it plans to distribute Calypte's oral fluid HIV tests."