CINCINNATI, May 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO ) today announced the availability of critical antigens and antibodies for Nipah virus immunological assay development in response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of eight priority diseases that could cause severe outbreaks or have epidemic potential. Last week, at least 13 people died as a result of a Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, India. The Nipah virus outbreak in India's southern state of Kerala is suspected to have spread to the neighboring state of Karnataka.
The Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (bats, pigs, cattle, goats), and also directly through human-to-human contact. Nipah virus infection in humans causes a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection (subclinical) to acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of the Nipah virus. The Nipah virus is an RNA virus that is part of the Paramyxovidae family that was first identified as a zoonotic pathogen after an outbreak involving severe respiratory illness in pigs and encephalitic disease in humans in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999. There is no treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals and the mortality rate is 70%. The primary treatment for humans is supportive care. The Nipah virus has killed more than 260 people in Malaysia, Bangladesh and India since 1998.
Dr. Lourdes Weltzien, Executive Vice President for Meridian’s Life Science division, commented, “We have paid careful attention to the WHO’s list of priority diseases in an effort to produce critical raw materials for assay development prior to disease outbreaks. We launched our Zika antigens and antibody raw materials prior to the 2016 outbreak when no diagnostic tests were yet developed, and we are pleased to have done the same for Nipah. No commercial diagnostic tests have been developed for the Nipah virus yet, and the availability of high quality antibodies and antigens is critical to the development of such tests. It is the mission of Meridian Life Science to develop innovative raw materials that can quickly address diseases that have epidemic potential.”
About Meridian Life Science, a Division of Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Meridian Life Science provides innovative solutions and large-scale manufacturing of antibodies, viral antigens, recombinant proteins, PCR Enzymes and Master mixes, Lyo-Ready formulations, nucleotides and critical assay reagents to diagnostic and biotechnology companies. For more than 40 years Meridian has focused on offering products and services that advance the development of diagnostic assays. In addition to a full line of immunoassay and molecular reagents supplied to the top diagnostic companies, Meridian offers process development and manufacturing services under a stringent quality system. For more information please see: www.meridianbioscience.com/lifescience
About Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Meridian Bioscience believes that healthcare is human. It is about saving lives, curing disease and improving outcomes. We are dedicated to developing and delivering better solutions that give answers with speed, accuracy and simplicity that are redefining the possibilities of life from discovery to diagnosis.
Through discovery and development, we provide critical life science raw materials used in immunological and molecular tests for human, animal, plant, and environmental applications. Through diagnosis, we provide diagnostic solutions in the areas such as gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections and blood lead level testing.
We work harder every day to build relationships and provide solutions to hospitals, reference laboratories, research centers, veterinary testing centers, physician offices, diagnostics manufacturers, and biotech companies in more than 70 countries around the world.
Meridian Bioscience shares are traded through NASDAQ’s Global Select Market, symbol VIVO. You can find us online at www.meridianbioscience.com .
Contact: Jack Kenny Chief Executive Officer Meridian Bioscience, Inc. Phone: +1.513.271.3700 Email: mbi@meridianbioscience.com
Dr. Lourdes Weltzien Executive Vice President, Life Science Meridian Life Science, Inc. Phone: +1.901.382.8716 Email: info@meridianlifescience.com
