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Sarah Schiltz, diaDexus
(650) 246-6447, sschiltz@diadexus.com
diaDexus Appoints Physicians Sales & Service to Distribute the PLAC® Test to Physician’s Office Labs
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., August 27, 2008—diaDexus, Inc. today announced the appointment of Physicians Sales & Service, Inc. (PSS) as distributors of the PLAC Test to physician office laboratories in the United States.
The PLAC Test is the only blood test cleared by the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to assess risk for both coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke associated with atherosclerosis. The PLAC Test provides new information, over and above traditional cardiovascular risk factors, to help identify individuals at increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. The PLAC Test measures lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), a vascular-specific inflammatory enzyme implicated in the formation of rupture-prone plaque. It is plaque rupture and thrombosis, not stenosis, that cause the majority of cardiac events.
According to Patrick Plewman, president and chief executive officer of diaDexus, the agreement is another important milestone for the company as it continues to expand the availability of the PLAC Test beyond the traditional laboratory setting. “This new relationship with PSS and its outstanding sales force enables more people to benefit from assessment of their risk for heart attack and stroke, events that can be prevented with appropriate lifestyle modification and therapeutic treatment,” Plewman said.
“PSS is excited to offer this important, high-value diagnostic test to the physician lab customers we serve,” said John Sasen, PSS World Medical’s chief marketing officer. “The addition of the PLAC Test to our offering demonstrates our commitment to providing cutting edge technology to help clinicians deliver high quality patient care in their office.”
About diaDexus
diaDexus, Inc., a privately held diagnostics company based in South San Francisco, is focused on the development and commercialization of patent-protected in vitro diagnostic products addressing unmet needs in cardiovascular disease. For more information, visit www.plactest.com or www.diaDexus.com.
About PSS
Physician Sales & Service (PSS) is the physician business of PSS World Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: PSSI), a national distributor of medical products to physicians and elder care providers through its two business units. Since its inception in 1983, PSS has become a leader in the two market segments that it serves with a focused market approach to customer services, a consultative sales force, strategic acquisitions, strong arrangements with product manufacturers and a unique culture of performance.
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