GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Digene Corporation (Nasdaq: DIGE - News ) today announced that DCL Medical Laboratories, a women's health focused lab serving the Indianapolis and St. Louis regions, is offering its customers The Digene HPV Test for cervical cancer screening, and educating them on its use in accordance with expert consensus guidelines. The Digene HPV Test, also known as the DNAwithPap Test, is the only FDA-approved test for high-risk types of HPV, which cause virtually all cases of cervical cancer. The test is approved for use along with the Pap to screen women age 30 and older, the group most at risk of developing cervical cancer.
"DCL strives to be a one-stop shop for the latest in sophisticated diagnostic services," said James Snyder, DCL Medical Laboratories Vice President of Marketing and Sales. "HPV testing is emerging as a standard of care for cervical cancer screening, and we are pleased to be on the leading edge by helping our customers use this new technology to better protect their patients."
High-risk types of HPV cause virtually all cases of cervical cancer. In studies involving more than 40,000 women and published in more than 300 peer- reviewed publications, Digene's hc2 (Hybrid Capture 2) High-Risk HPV DNA Test has been found to be significantly more sensitive in identifying women with high-grade cervical disease or cancer than the Pap alone. The leading medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society, have updated their cervical cancer screening guidelines to include HPV testing.
Evan Jones, Digene's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "DCL becomes the latest laboratory to participate in Digene's co-marketing program, promoting in concert the benefits of HPV testing to clinicians and patients. Developing long-term relationships with market innovators such as DCL is critical to our efforts to assure that healthcare providers across the country are educated on its appropriate use."
DCL Medical Laboratories researches, markets and performs anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology testing for medical diagnostic applications. Focused on women's health, DCL has experienced continuous growth since its inception in 1984.
DCL is committed to being a preferred medical laboratory partner with a personal approach to delivering the innovative and consultative solutions that empower clients and improve lives. Each DCL pathologist is board certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology and seven of DCL's pathologists are also certified in cytopathology.
DCL is a pioneer in new product introductions such as ThinPrep Pap testing, HPV testing, and CT/NG direct from vial testing. As a recognized specialist in ThinPrep Pap Test evaluation, DCL is an approved training site for other labs seeking to offer the ThinPrep technology.
Digene Corporation (Nasdaq: DIGE - News ), based in Gaithersburg, MD, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary DNA and RNA testing systems for the screening, monitoring and diagnosis of human diseases -- with a focus on women's cancers and infectious diseases. The company's hc2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test is the only test for human papillomavirus approved by the FDA, and is approved for both follow-up evaluation in women with inconclusive Pap results and primary screening in women age 30 and older. For primary screening, it is marketed as both The Digene HPV Test and the DNAwithPap Test. These brand names do not refer to the Digene product that tests for several types of the virus commonly referred to as "low-risk HPV," which are not associated with cervical cancer. For more information, visit http://www.thehpvtest.com .
Digene's product portfolio also includes DNA tests for the detection of other sexually transmitted infections, including Chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as tests for blood viruses. For more information, visit the company's Web site, http://www.digene.com . Investors also may contact Charles Fleischman at 301-944-7000; journalists may contact Pam Rasmussen, 301-944-7196.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future, as there are a number of meaningful factors that could cause the company's actual results to vary materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Meaningful factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations include, but are not limited to, the degree of acceptance of HPV testing by physicians and the extent of reimbursement for the HPV test by third-party payers, as well as other factors discussed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. For other factors, reference is made to the discussion in the company's annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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