Universal Biosensors, Inc. (ASX: UBI) has signed Henry Schein, Inc. as its first major distribution partner in the United States of America.
Henry Schein is one of the USA’s largest and most influential distributors of medical products and is a leader in the distribution of coagulation products in the USA.
The deal is for Henry Schein to become a non-exclusive distributor for an initial term of 1 year, with annual extensions by agreement.
“Henry Schein undertook a comprehensive product review before agreeing to partner Xprecia Prime. Henry Schein service thousands of coagulation clinics and hospitals throughout the USA which can now access Xprecia Prime through the Henry Schein network. First sales are expected in the coming weeks,” UBI CEO, John Sharman, said.
“Over recent months we have recruited key staff to build our USA Xprecia business. We continue to negotiate additional distribution deals for Xprecia in the USA and we look forward to reporting our progress.”
The Xprecia Prime Coagulation Analyzer is Universal Biosensors second generation, new and improved coagulation monitoring device.
It fits into your palm; is portable, accurate and easy to use. The device is designed for fast and reliable prothrombin time (PT) results displayed in seconds and International Normalised Ratio (INR).
It is used to monitor the dosage of vitamin K antagonists in patients to ensure its safety and efficacy. Dangerous bleeding events can occur if the ideal dosage of the drug is exceeded, while if the dosage is lower than required the patient is at risk of thrombosis.
The prothrombin time (PT) test allows physicians to appropriately adjust the patient’s dose of the drug to compensate for any diet and lifestyle changes.
Globally, approximately 10 million patients are taking warfarin, and over 300 million PT/INR tests are conducted annually to monitor the safe and effective dosage of anticoagulants, representing a major market opportunity for Xprecia Prime.