December 1, 2022 – OraSure Technologies, a global leader in the fight against HIV, will ring the closing bell for the Nasdaq Stock Market this afternoon in honor of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is commemorated annually on December 1 to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic and to mourn the loss of those who have died of the disease. The U.S. Government’s theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV,” to emphasize the importance of uplifting marginalized and vulnerable groups who bear the brunt of the burden of HIV in the country.
Under the CDC program, OraSure may supply up to one million OraQuick® In-Home HIV tests to engage individuals who are disproportionately affected by HIV and less likely to have access to key diagnostic, prevention, and treatment services across the United States.
Almost 1.2 million people aged 13 and older have HIV in the United States, including an estimate of nearly 160,000, who currently do not know that they are infected. Identifying these individuals and linking them to care is a crucial priority for eradicating HIV. With pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication used by HIV-negative individuals to prevent HIV seroconversion, people can take control of their health and prevent infection before it starts. For people living with HIV, effective treatment allows them to enjoy long and healthy lives and, with an undetectable viral load, means that they cannot transmit HIV through sex. This is commonly known as U=U, or “undetectable equals untransmittable.”
OraSure was the first company to receive FDA approval for a professional-use rapid HIV-1 test in 2002 with its OraQuick® Rapid HIV-1 Antibody Test. In 2012, the Company received FDA approval for the first, and still only, over-the-counter oral fluid HIV test, the OraQuick® In-Home HIV Test. In 2017, the Company received World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification for the OraQuick® HIV Self-Test, which is sold for use by individuals internationally, including significant use in sub-Saharan Africa which has the highest rates of HIV globally. More than 90 million OraQuick® HIV tests have been used worldwide in more than 130 countries, helping link those who test positive to appropriate confirmation testing and care. The Company is also developing new diagnostic tests to support clinicians in improving adherence to PrEP, ensuring that the medication is used consistently so that high-risk individuals without HIV remain free of infection.