Virco Lab, Inc. Enters Into Collaboration with SmartGene, Inc. Enhancing HIV Resistance...

Virco Lab, Inc. Enters Into Collaboration with SmartGene, Inc. Enhancing HIV
Resistance Test Services for Laboratories and Physicians

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Virco Lab, Inc. a leader in HIV
resistance testing services, is pleased to announce a US collaboration with
SmartGene, Inc., a provider of novel services for the management and analysis
of genetic data to provide laboratories and physicians with greater insight
into HIV drug resistance and to transfer the ordering, viewing and storage of
HIV resistance reports to an innovative secure Web-based system.

The agreement allows laboratories and physicians to order, view and store
Virco HIV resistance reports through the SmartGene(R) HIV Web-service module.
As a result, data from resistance tests can be stored indefinitely and
accessed easily through the Internet. Using the integrated system,
laboratories can interpret HIV sequences using multiple algorithms,
reinterpret sequences to build cumulative resistance reports for patients and
create fully searchable databases for clinical, research and epidemiological
purposes. Currently when a clinician orders a resistance test to help guide
the selection of a new treatment regimen, previously conducted resistance
tests are often unavailable or are difficult to retrieve.

"We believe that our collaboration with SmartGene, Inc. will enable
laboratories which use both of our services to provide additional value to HIV
clinicians by offering richer information from HIV genetic sequencing," said
Werner Verbiest, General Manager Worldwide of Virco BVBA. "The sequence
management services provided by SmartGene along with our own virco(R)TYPE
HIV-1 resistance reports allow the laboratory to exquisitely manage genetic
information and to electronically order and deliver customized reports to the
end user via this synergy in our services."

Key end user benefits of this collaboration are:
-- Genetic sequences obtained from patient viruses can be stored
indefinitely on the SmartGene(R) HIV module
-- Sequences can be directly submitted through the secure module to Virco
for interpretation and creation of a virco(R)TYPE HIV-1 report
-- Additional genetic targets, such as Integrase and gp41, are also
supported by the SmartGene, Inc. service
-- Results are automatically delivered into the module and can be stored
and viewed electronically by clinicians at any time
-- Viral sequences can be interpreted by multiple algorithms and
interpretation systems and can be re-analyzed when new drugs are
introduced or interpretation systems are updated
-- Customized reporting features allow all past HIV sequences for the
same
patient to be reinterpreted and presented on one cumulative report to
enhance clinical practice
-- Each institution creates its own fully searchable database of
sequences,
mutations and associated data for use in the clinic, research and
epidemiology studies

More about HIV Resistance Testing
Current Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines recommend
the use of resistance testing when a patient is first diagnosed, whether or
not antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is initiated immediately. If treatment is
delayed, repeat testing at the time of treatment initiation should be
considered. HIV resistance testing (RT) should also be used when changing a
patient's regimen due to virologic failure or when treatment response is
incomplete. RT is also recommended for all pregnant women before starting ARV
treatment or when viral load is detectable while on therapy.(1)

In cases of virologic failure, DHHS guidelines recommend consideration of not
only the current resistance test and treatment history but also any resistance
tests that have been performed in the past.(2)

About Virco
Virco BVBA is a world leader in the field of HIV resistance testing services
for clinical practice and clinical studies, advancing research that correlates
laboratory testing with clinical management, while offering a wide range of
HIV resistance diagnostics. (Virco Lab, Inc. is the US operating division of
Virco.) The company applies the latest technologies in molecular biology,
medical virology, and bioinformatics to develop advanced diagnostic tools that
are based on pharmacogenomic principles of individualized patient care. A
pioneer in HIV resistance testing, Virco has one of the world's largest
repositories of HIV clinical isolates, a clinical response database with
records of more than 21,000 patients, a database of more than 93,000
phenotypes and 373,000 genotypes, and cutting-edge bioinformatics
capabilities.

References
1. Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents.
Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected
adults and adolescents. Department of Health and Human Services.
November 3, 2008; 1-139. Available at
http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/AdultandAdolescentGL.pdf.
Accessed 04/14/2009 (page 9, Panel's Recommendations).

It is emphasized that concepts relevant to HIV management evolve
rapidly. The Panel has a mechanism to update recommendations on a
regular basis, and the most recent information is available on the
AIDSinfo Web site (http://AIDSinfo.nih.gov).

2. Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents.
Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected
adults and adolescents. Department of Health and Human Services.
November 3, 2008; 1-139. Available at
http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/AdultandAdolescentGL.pdf.
Accessed 04/14/2009 (page 53, Assessment of Virologic Failure, 2nd
paragraph).

It is emphasized that concepts relevant to HIV management evolve
rapidly. The Panel has a mechanism to update recommendations on a
regular basis, and the most recent information is available on the
AIDSinfo Web site (http://AIDSinfo.nih.gov).

Media Contact:
David Rebey, 908-541-4498, Drebey@its.jnj.com

SOURCE Virco Lab, Inc.

David Rebey, +1-908-541-4498, Drebey@its.jnj.com