Inverness Medical Innovations Features Innovative TB Diagnostic - Clearview(R) TB ELISA at...( WALTHAM Mass. Aug. 8 /- Inverness...)

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (Amex: IMA), a leading provider of near-patient diagnostics, monitoring and health management solutions, is featuring its new TB diagnostic test, the Clearview TB ELISA, at the International AIDS conference (AIDS 2008).

The test, which was introduced to developing world markets in July 2008, provides a much needed aid in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) in TB/HIV co-infected patients. By providing reliable information more quickly, when compared to other methods, the Clearview TB ELISA can enable treatment decisions to be made the very same day, allowing for more effective patient health management and mitigating the risk of further transmission to a highly vulnerable population.

The Clearview TB ELISA has shown strong performance in detecting TB in those co-infected with HIV. Clearview TB ELISA uses antibodies specific to the antigen lipoarabinomannan (LAM). Elevated levels of the LAM antigen within the urine of TB/HIV co-infected patients provides a specific and reliable diagnostic target. Clinical data shows that, while microscopy methods detect TB in these TB/HIV co-infected patients, at rates as low as 20%, targeting the LAM antigen using the Clearview TB ELISA can produce detection rates of 80%.

Ron Zwanziger, Inverness' CEO stated, "Introduction of the Clearview TB ELISA is an important first step in making available much-needed diagnostic tools to address the TB epidemic where the need is greatest. We are working hard to build support for its widespread adoption."

There were approximately 33 million people living with HIV infection in 2007 and due to their compromised immune status, more than one third we
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