Rapid Oral Fluid Test in India for the paramilitary forces

[Guest guest]

Calypte Biomedical Completes First Sale of Aware HIV-1/2 OMT

Rapid Oral Fluid Test in India

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Calypte Biomedical

Corporation (OTCBB: CBMC), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of

HIV diagnostic tests, today announced the first sale of its Aware(TM:

109.89, +2.11, +1.95%) HIV-1/2 OMT rapid oral fluid test in India.

The tests were purchased by one of the paramilitary forces of the

Government of India.

I. Gale, Calypte's President and Chief Executive Officer,

stated, " This sale marks a major milestone for us both as our first

sale in India and as our entry into the Indian governmental market.

Our Aware(TM: 109.89, +2.11, +1.95%) oral fluid test is ideally

suited for large institutions such as India's paramilitary forces

which need to protect the welfare of their workforces. " Mr. Gale

continued, " We applaud the Government of India's ambitious plans to

combat HIV/AIDS. We believe that the safety and ease of use of non-

invasive tests such as our Aware(TM: 109.89, +2.11, +1.95%) HIV-1/2

OMT will be instrumental in containing costs and improving

efficiencies as India scales up its testing initiatives. Calypte's

Aware(TM: 109.89, +2.11, +1.95%) HIV-1/2 OMT test is the first and

currently only oral fluid test approved in India. "

Sujata Mital, Director of Sumit Biosciences Pvt. Ltd., Calypte's

distributor in India, stated, " India's paramilitary forces have a

vested interest in guarding the health and welfare of their

personnel. These personnel are highly trained and make important

contributions to guarding India's security. Non-invasive testing will

help India's paramilitary organizations safeguard their commitment to

and investment in human capital. Further, the experience with non-

invasive testing gained by these organizations will concretely

demonstrate the advantages of oral fluid testing. "

About India's HIV Program

India recently embarked on its Third National AIDS Control Program

(NACP-III) with the overall goal of halting and reversing its

HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since India's reported prevalence rate remains

well below 1%, the major focus of NACP-III will be on scaling up

prevention and control initiatives. According to The World Bank

Project Appraisal Document on NACP-III, India; dated March 22, 2007,

of the US $2.6 billion budgeted over five years for NACP-III, over US

$1.8 billion has been allocated to scaling up prevention efforts. One

of the major goals cited for NACP-III is increasing the number of

people tested from 3 million in 2006 to 22 million by 2011.

About Calypte Biomedical:

Calypte Biomedical Corporation (www.calypte.com) is a U.S.-based

healthcare company focused on the development and commercialization

of rapid testing products for sexually transmitted diseases such as

the Aware(TM: 109.89, +2.11, +1.95%) HIV-1/2 OMT test that are

suitable for use at the point of care and at home. Calypte believes

there is a significant need for rapid detection of such diseases

globally to control their proliferation, particularly in developing

countries, which lack the medical infrastructure to support

laboratory-based testing. Calypte believes that testing for HIV and

other sexually transmitted infectious diseases may make important

contributions to public health, and could increase the likelihood of

treating those with undetected HIV and other sexually transmitted

diseases.

SOURCE: Calypte Biomedical Corporation

Calypte Biomedical Corporation

Jerrold D. Dotson, 503-726-2227

VP-Finance, jdotson@...

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/industries/health-

care/article/calypte-biomedical-completes-sale-awaretm-hiv12f2-omt-

rapid-oral-fluid-test_467378_10.html