BETHLEHEM, Pa., Oct 12, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR), the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics, in conjunction with the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, announced today the donation of OraQuick ADVANCE(R) Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Tests in recognition of the 4th Annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on October 15, 2006.

Working with the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Company is donating 5,000 OraQuick ADVANCE(R) tests, in addition to providing training and support to more than 60 local sites or events.

"HIV and AIDS remain at crisis levels in the Latino community and the rate of HIV infection continues to rise," said Dennis de Leon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. "Through education on HIV prevention initiatives and by helping people with HIV learn their status earlier, we're helping to reduce the spread of HIV. Rapid HIV tests like OraQuick ADVANCE(R), which is a simple, accurate, painless test that takes only 20 minutes, are helping us to reach this goal more effectively."

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is a national day of awareness and prevention against HIV/AIDS in the Latino community. With the theme, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. GET THE FACTS. GET TESTED FOR HIV, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2006 is a call to action for Latinos to get educated and get tested for HIV.

Currently, Latinos account for 20 percent of all those living with AIDS in the United States, and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 80,000 Latinos are currently living with this disease.

"We are proud to support National Latino AIDS Awareness Day and help empower the Latino community by providing access to rapid HIV testing - a step that will help to stem the spread of the disease and help HIV positive individuals learn their status earlier, providing a better opportunity to live a longer, healthier life," said Douglas A. Michels, President and Chief Executive Officer of OraSure Technologies. "The support of the Latino Commission on AIDS and The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is vital to enabling Latinos nationwide to get tested and learn their HIV status."

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day was created in 2003 by the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Federation in partnership with community based organizations, people living with HIV/AIDS, Health Departments and others. More than 350 institutions in 250 cities across the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are actively participating in National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2006 by hosting community events to encourage people to seek HIV testing and counseling.

OraQuick ADVANCE(R) is the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments Act of 1988) waived rapid point-of-care test that can detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 with an oral fluid sample in just 20 minutes.

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day and OraQuick ADVANCE Interview Footage and B-Roll Available October 13

A satellite uplink with Latino AIDS Awareness Day and OraQuick ADVANCE(R) interview footage and b-roll is available via satellite Friday, October 13 at 2:00 - 2:15 PM ET. Coordinates for the satellite uplink are:

Date: 10-13-06

Time: 14:00-14:15 ET

Satellite: Ku Sat - Analog
SBS 6, Transponder 19 Upper
Downlink Frequency: 12178
Polarity: Horizontal
Audio 6.2 and 6.8

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day footage will include: statements from Dennis de Leon, Latino Commission on AIDS President (English); Guillermo Chacon, Latino Commission on AIDS Vice President (English/Spanish); Dr. Marcelo Venegas, Housing Works, Inc. (English/Spanish); Victoria Robles, Housing Works, Inc. (English); B-roll of OraQuick(R) ADVANCE HIV Test procedure with oral fluid; additional scenes including HIV counseling and testing.

About OraSure Technologies

OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and markets oral fluid specimen collection devices using proprietary oral fluid technologies, diagnostic products including immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices. These products are sold in the United States as well as internationally to various clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians' offices, and commercial and industrial entities.

OraSure Technologies is the leading supplier of oral-fluid collection devices and assays to the life insurance industry and public health markets for the detection of HIV. In addition, the Company supplies oral-fluid testing solutions for drugs of abuse testing. For more information on the Company, please go to http://www.orasure.com.

SOURCE: OraSure Technologies, Inc.

OraSure Technologies, Inc.
Media Contact:
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