OraQuick(R) Rapid HIV Test Chosen for Madagascar National AIDS Control Program

OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR - News), the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics, announced today that it has been selected by the Malagasy government and its National AIDS Control Program to be the exclusive first-line provider of rapid HIV screening tests for the country's outreach program over the next five years. Under this program, the government intends to test more than 400,000 individuals in 2007 with the Company's OraQuick® Rapid HIV 1/2 Antibody Test.
The government of Madagascar, particularly His Excellency President Marc Ravalomanana, is committed to keeping the HIV/AIDS epidemic at bay by implementing the National AIDS Control Program, a countrywide HIV testing campaign that offers free HIV education and testing for all individuals. A major component of this program is a local outreach effort that includes teams of individuals traveling across the country to highly populated areas and offering HIV tests in convenient locations, including individuals' homes.

"In Madagascar, the rate of prevalence for HIV/AIDS is low, and we want to keep it that way," said Fenosoa Ratsimanetrimanana, Executive Secretariat of the National AIDS Committee. "HIV testing is a cornerstone to our HIV prevention program and last year we saw a significant increase in HIV testing because we launched a rapid oral fluid HIV test during the second half of the year. This year, with the continued support of the World Bank and the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we anticipate more than tripling the number of HIV tests administered versus the year prior."

The Madagascar program began in 2005 when 15,000 individuals were tested. In 2006, the program's second year, approximately 140,000 individuals were tested and this significant increase in testing is attributed directly to the introduction of the OraQuick® HIV Test during the latter part of that year. Due to the immediate impact of the test, the Ministry of Health, Family Planning and Social Protection has elected to use the OraQuick® HIV test preferably.

"We are very pleased to have been selected by the Government of Madagascar to be the first provider of oral rapid HIV tests for its country-wide testing initiative. This decision is a testament to the value of our technology - and in particular the versatility of the OraQuick® platform which enables individuals to use either blood or oral fluid for screening," said Douglas A. Michels, OraSure President and Chief Executive Officer. "OraSure is committed to help stop the spread of HIV throughout the world and is proud to be working in partnership with the government of Madagascar to support education and testing programs."

The program is a good example of a public-private partnership to help further stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in Madagascar.

"HIV testing is a vital component of the effort to prevent the continued spread of the epidemic," said Shana Ward Ryzowy, program manager for the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. "Testing is also the first step in accessing treatment and care. The Global Business Coalition commends OraSure's collaborative efforts with the government of Madagascar to dramatically scale up HIV/AIDS awareness and testing. This initiative has the potential to have far reaching public health impacts." The Global Business Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to harnessing the power of the global business community to end the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics.