Ability to rapidly detect patient’s drug levels may provide valuable, cost effective emergency medical information for aiding treatment decisions
ONTARIO, CA – October 23, 2000 – LifePoint, Inc. (AMEX: LFP) today presented results describing the company’s ability to detect THC (marijuana) in human saliva with the LifePoint™ Test System at the Scientific Assembly of the American College of Emergency Physicians in Philadelphia, PA. The system is an automated flow immunoassay that can be used to rapidly and simultaneously detect alcohol and the NIDA-5 Drugs (THC, PCP, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines/methamphetamines).
The results were presented in a technical paper authored by Thomas Foley, Ph.D., LifePoint’s senior vice-president of research & development. The paper, titled, “A laminar flow fluorescence immunoassay for the detection of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) in oral fluids" is based on research conducted by Dr. Foley and co-workers at LifePoint. THC is found in low levels in saliva and as such cannot be detected by current methods except by complicated and time consuming lab procedures.
“Our research shows that the applications for the LifePoint™ Test System can be extended into emergency situations where timely and accurate information is cost-effective and can significantly impact treatment decisions,” stated Dr.Foley. “The use of saliva to provide immediate results on potential overdose situations is receiving significant attention from emergency medicine field. Currently, methods for testing blood levels cannot provide timely results, and the currently available rapid urine tests do not provide relevant “blood-equivalent” results.”
The American College of Emergency Physicians is a premier event in emergency medicine and attracts over 4000 leaders in the field of emergency medicine. This year’s meeting will focus on such timely topics as new technologies in emergency settings, and will deal with law enforcement agencies in the emergency department, among other topics.
“We are pleased that LifePoint continues to receive invitations to present technical data on saliva that we have generated during our product development program,” said Linda H. Masterson, President and CEO. “Part of our strategy is to continue to make technical presentations about the validity and accuracy of our technologies and the LifePoint™ Test System, which will provide the unique capability to provide immediate, quantitative, “under-the-influence” simultaneous results for drugs of abuse and alcohol.”
LifePoint, Inc. is a late development stage company designing the LifePoint™ Test System – a rapid, on-site, diagnostic testing, screening and therapeutic drug monitoring device that will be initially commercialized for law enforcement, workplace and emergency medical testing to detect driver, employee and patient impairment. LifePoint licensed the patented flow immunosensor technology from the Naval Research Laboratories and owns patented and proprietary technologies on using saliva as a non-invasive test specimen. The technologies combined in the LifePoint™ Test System enable broad product expansion into additional markets including therapeutic drug monitoring, rapid diagnostic testing, and wellness and health screening.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of LifePoint, Inc. that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks include, but are not limited to, the completion of product development, the need for additional funding, the initiation and completion of clinical trials and dependence on third parties for clinical testing and marketing. These risks are described in further detail in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
LifePoint™ is a trademark of LifePoint, Inc.