BioMerica Inc. (BMRA)

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Biomerica Introduces Two New E. coli Tests: Verotoxin and E. coli 0157
Date : 03/06/2012 @ 8:19AM

Biomerica, Inc. (OTCBB: BMRA) announced today that it has introduced two new E. coli tests for detecting verotoxin and E. coli 0157.

E. coli is an important cause of diarrheal disease outbreaks and is associated with serious medical complications in many patients. The severe complications are caused by bacterial production of cytotoxins. Certain strains of E. coli produce a family of closely related cytotoxins known as verotoxins or Shiga toxins. The two primary verotoxins are verotoxin 1 and 2 (VT1 and VT2). Biomerica has developed two new tests, E. coli O157 which allows for the rapid determination of E. coli 0157 and Verotoxin which detects both verotoxin 1 and verotoxin 2.

The clinical importance of these assays in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diarrheal disease, and in detecting and managing disease outbreaks, is evidenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that all cases of acute community-acquired diarrhea be simultaneously cultured for E. coli O157:H7 and tested with an assay that detects verotoxins (Shiga toxins) to diagnose non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).

Clinical symptoms associated with verotoxins can range from mild diarrhea and severe gastroenteritis to human hemorrhagic colitis (HC), which occurs in approximately 10-20% of infections. In infants and small children, the elderly, and in patients with weakened immune systems, 5-10% of infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), both of which are potentially life-threatening conditions. With HUS and TTP, mortality is particularly high (5-10%) among infants.

"Disease caused by E. coli can be devastating, particularly with children," said Zackary Irani, CEO of Biomerica. "With the introduction of these two E. coli tests, we have achieved the first step towards entering the foodborn and infectious disease markets, and we will be expanding the test menu for these markets."

Biomerica's E. coli Verotoxin and 0157 products are FDA exempt in the US and will also be sold internationally.

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