Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. Announces Availability of HTLV-I/II Assay

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. (OCD) announced the availability of the Avioq(R) HTLV-I/II Microelisa System assay, a new test developed in partnership with Avioq, Inc. to screen blood and organ donations for antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I and II. Screening for antibodies to HTLV-I/II is required by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the nearly 16 million blood donations collected in the U.S. each year. HTLV, if left undiagnosed, may cause certain types of conditions, such as a rare form of leukemia and neurological diseases.

"We are proud to introduce the AVIOQ HTLV-I/II Microelisa System assay, which completes our extensive infectious disease assay menu and furthers our longstanding commitment to provide world class products that ensure the safety of blood and plasma supplies," said Tony Hardiman, Director of Worldwide Marketing, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics.

The AVIOQ HTLV-I/II Microelisa System assay is fully compatible with the ORTHO(R) Summit System platform, offering consistent and reliable performance with minimal add-on assay validation, reducing validation time and assay variation while improving productivity in the lab.

"By providing a fast, cost-effective and reliable screening method for antibodies to HTLV type I and II, OCD is enhancing the donor screening community's ability to adhere to the FDA's testing guidelines, while at the same time protecting patients who receive blood and plasma donations," said Paul Contestable, Principle Scientist, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics.

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is committed to protecting the safety of the world's blood and plasma supplies. More than 20 years ago, the company introduced the first test for the detection of antibodies to hepatitis C, and has since remained a leader in high-quality solutions to meet rigorous compliance standards and provide blood and blood products that are free from known infectious diseases.