OraSure Technologies, Inc., the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics, today announced the execution of an agreement for the supply of its OraQuick® Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test to the Supply Chain Management System ("SCMS").

According to Business Wire, created with funds from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, SCMS procures essential medicines, diagnostic tests and other supplies for the prevention and treatment of HIV for distribution to developing countries supported by PEPFAR. Under the terms of the new agreement, SCMS may purchase the OraQuick® test for an initial one-year period and an optional second year.

"The execution of an agreement with SCMS is an important development for several reasons," said Douglas A. Michels, President and CEO of OraSure Technologies. "This agreement will allow PEPFAR countries to access the efficiencies of the consolidated supply chain managed by SCMS in order to obtain our OraQuick® test. In addition, this agreement will provide a vehicle for expanding our efforts to make the OraQuick® test more widely available internationally, and in particular in developing countries supported by PEPFAR. We are committed to working with SCMS and other international agencies to make rapid HIV testing as widely available as possible around the world."

PEPFAR is a five-year, $15 billion program established in 2003 by President Bush to combat HIV/AIDS on a global basis. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. Government works with international, national and local leaders to support a multi-faceted and integrated approach to HIV prevention, treatment and patient care.