World National
©World National / Roger-Luc Chayer

Companies prepare 20-minute HIV test

SUMMARY: Abbott Laboratories and OraSure Technologies Inc. announced plans to jointly distribute a new HIV ( news - web sites) test that claims to detect the virus much quicker than standard tests.

Abbott Laboratories and OraSure Technologies Inc. announced on Monday plans to jointly distribute a new HIV test that claims to detect the virus much quicker than standard tests.

OraSure's OraQuick device can detect the presence of HIV-Type 1 antibodies within 20 minutes, according to the Associated Press. The common laboratory process, by contrast, takes two weeks.

The Beaverton, Ore.-based company applied for approval from the Food and Drug Administration ( news - web sites) in June 2001, and the FDA said it was approvable last month, provided minor conditions are met.

OraSure expects to market the product later this year.

The agreement with Abbott settles an earlier patent dispute and makes Abbott a co-exclusive distributor of OraQuick in the United States. Based in Abbot, Ill., the company will focus on marketing the test to hospitals and doctors' labs.