PointCare Signs Agreement With Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics to Distribute and Provide Customer Support for the PointCare NOWTM System in the Southern and Eastern Regions of Africa

Portable PointCare NOW system provides eight-minute CD4, CD4% and hematology parameter results critical to improved HIV/AIDS patient care

MARLBOROUGH, Massachusetts (August 12th, 2010) – PointCare Technologies, pioneer inventor of a portable diagnostic system that enables effective HIV/AIDS monitoring for millions of people in remote areas of developing countries, has signed an exclusive agreement with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in South Africa to distribute the PointCare NOW system and provide support to customers in the southern and eastern regions of the continent.

“We are proud and honored to partner with a global leader in diagnostics,” commented PointCare’s Chairman, Petra B. Krauledat, Ph.D. “This agreement is a tremendous validation of the PointCare NOW technology, which offers much more than a traditional CD4 counter. Clinicians who use the system find it is an invaluable tool in helping to detect conditions such as anemia, neutropenia, TB, and parasitic infections that complicate diagnosis and the effective use of antiretroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients. With Siemens as our PointCare NOW distribution and support partner, many more clinicians providing HIV/AIDS care can have easy access to the essential diagnostic information they need to make vital treatment decisions and improve patient care.”

Today, approximately 90 percent of HIV/AIDS patients live in the developing world, where patient care is decentralized and resources are limited. This presents significant new challenges in the diagnosis and management of HIV/AIDS patients, who typically present with multiple “overlying” medical conditions, such as tuberculosis and parasitic infection. These challenges are not often encountered in the well-funded settings where most diagnostic systems were developed, some as much as 20 years ago. By contrast, PointCare Technologies designed its PointCare NOW system using real patients with complex diseases histories in resource-poor environments to address the specific challenges of providing HIV/AIDS care in developing regions. The system provides two significant advantages for clinicians. First, the PointCare NOW test menu has been designed to overcome variables associated with CD4 testing in patients who are co-infected with other diseases. Second, PointCare NOW data-storage has been designed to permit long-term trending of patient hematology profiles, which are integral to effective management of many chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

“At Siemens, one of our goals is to help improve access to key diagnostics in resource constrained areas to try and advance human health one life at a time,” said Jonathan L. Arnold, Global Marketing Manager, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “We are pleased to offer the PointCare NOW system as an integral part of our portfolio of diagnostic products in southern and eastern Africa.”

About the PointCare NOW™ system

The FDA-cleared PointCare NOW system delivers in just eight minutes and in one easy report, 12 results critical to better disease management: CD4 count and CD4% expressed as a percent of total lymphocytes, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, and lymphocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, eosinophil (count and percent for all). The system is easy to operate with minimal training, and fully automated, capped-tube sampling means that the operator is never exposed to contaminated blood. Designed specifically to eliminate the logistical challenges of low-resource settings, we’ve eliminated the hidden costs of cold-chain shipping and refrigerated storage. We simplify your supply chain by providing all you need for testing in one box – from heat-stable reagents, Daily Check™ controls, and phlebotomy supplies to bar-coded patient ID labels and printer paper. Flexible power options let you test anywhere, anytime, enabling fast, easy set-up for clinic and mobile use. ###

About PointCare Technologies Inc. (www.pointcare.net)

Our mission is to bring appropriate point-of-care diagnostics to resource-limited settings. We design, manufacture, and market our products to provide clinicians with the rapid results they need to improve patient care. PointCare is a privately held, FDA-registered, ISO-certified company.

About Siemens Southern Africa (www.siemens.co.za)

Siemens has had a presence in South Africa since 1860 when the company installed the first telegraph line linking Cape Town and Simon’s Town. Today, Siemens offers a balanced portfolio of technologies focusing on the Industry, Energy and Healthcare sectors, together with the cross-sector business of Siemens IT Solutions and Services. The unique ability to offer horizontal, customised, end-to-end technology solutions enables Siemens to keep its customers one-step ahead. As a committed corporate citizen, Siemens has active corporate social investment programmes as well as a comprehensive approach to local content, manpower development, skills and training.