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Atherotech Contracts With Source Scientific to Manufacture VAP(R) Cholesterol Test Equipment; VAP Test Systems Will Be Available to U.S. And International Laboratories

Posted on: Thursday, 8 June 2006, 12:01 CDT

Atherotech, Inc., a pioneer in cardiodiagnostic cholesterol testing technology, today announced that it has contracted with Source Scientific, LLC, a medical device developer and manufacturer, to create a more robust line of cholesterol diagnostics and to modularize VAP Test equipment for placement with a broad array of domestic and international diagnostic laboratories.

The new VAP Test systems will be developed and manufactured at Source Scientific's Irvine, Calif., GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) facility. To support this milestone, Atherotech opened a technology development office in Southern California.

According to Roseanne Varner, Atherotech's president and chief executive officer, this contract is a key strategic step designed to leverage the company's expertise in diagnostic testing for cardiovascular disease and its proprietary VAP Test technology platform. The Source Scientific contract also supports the company's equipment transfer strategy. Initial agreements are in place with the two largest independent national diagnostic laboratories, and the number of Atherotech equipment customers is expected to grow exponentially during the next 12 months.

"The success of the VAP Test -- the first cholesterol test for patients at risk for cardiovascular disease -- is based on a combination of factors, including strong demand among physicians, clinical labs, and patients, updated government cholesterol guidelines, and ongoing efforts of pharmaceutical companies to improve treatment of coronary heart disease," Varner said. "Opening the technology up to laboratories worldwide and expanding the VAP Test product line allow for broad-based assimilation of the technology in the medical community and position Atherotech for significant, sustainable growth."

"Source Scientific's ability to take Atherotech's core technology and develop and manufacture a more robust VAP Test product line creates a winning partnership," said Richard W. Henson, chief executive officer of Source Scientific. "The modular design will allow adoption of the VAP Test technology by diagnostic laboratories worldwide as they strive to provide physicians and consumers with the most advanced technologies in the battle against heart disease. This agreement is an exciting opportunity for both companies."

The VAP Test is the first cholesterol profile to comply with updated National Cholesterol Education Program recommendations calling for more-accurate, direct low-density lipoprotein (LDL) measurement. It also identifies emerging risk factors that better identify patients at risk for heart disease, facilitating more-aggressive treatment and management.

About Source Scientific

Source Scientific is a medical device developer and manufacturer located in Irvine, Calif. It provides design and production services exclusively to other medical device companies. For more information about Source Scientific, visit www.SourceScientific.com. For a media kit, send an e-mail request to info@sourcescientific.net.

About Atherotech

Atherotech is a medical technology company focused on developing a comprehensive line of cardiodiagnostic products based on the company's proprietary VAP Test technology. The company's first product, the VAP Cholesterol Test -- the new standard of care for patients at-risk for cardiovascular disease -- is available through national and regional diagnostic laboratories and is reimbursed by most payors, including Medicare. For more information, visit www.atherotech.com.

Source: Business Wire

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