OraSure and the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation to Heighten Awareness Around the Importance of Hepatitis C Testing

Over Half of the Almost Three Million Americans with Hepatitis C Are Not Aware of Their Disease Status

BETHLEHEM, Pa. and HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR) announced today that it is collaborating with the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation to increase awareness around the role Hepatitis C (HCV) plays in chronic liver disease and promoting testing services for HCV within the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately 2.4 million individuals in the United States have HCV, and over half of these individuals currently don’t know their disease status. Left untreated, HCV often leads to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. These outcomes are preventable given new antiviral drugs that can effectively cure patients, but early diagnosis through increased testing is vital to eradicating this disease. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, healthcare costs associated with chronic HCV infection are $6.5 billion per year in the United States today and continue to rise, representing a substantial burden on our healthcare system.

"As a liver disease patient who endured Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis as a child, and through friends affected by HCV, I know the toll liver disease can have on your body, especially if it's left untreated,” Will Rodgers, NASCAR driver, said. “This terrible disease, which affects so many in the United States, is a significant strain on our healthcare system, and could be eradicated through broad scale testing initiatives. “I’m very proud to work with OraSure to drive increased awareness around HCV and provide testing services to underserved communities across the country.”

“At OraSure, we take public health seriously and have played a significant role in combating diseases such as HCV, HIV, and COVID-19 on a global basis. Our OraQuick^® HCV rapid antibody test is designed to be extremely simple to use, highly accurate and provides a result within 20 minutes, while simultaneously being cost effective,” said OraSure President and CEO Stephen Tang, Ph.D. “As a company, we are extremely proud to collaborate with the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation to drive greater awareness around the importance of individuals knowing their HCV status. A simple test can save a life.”

As a 3-year-old child, Rodgers was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, an extremely rare, chronic liver disease. While the disease has no present cure, his disease abated after two years of treatment, to the delight of his physicians and family. Following the end of his treatments, Rodgers’ racing journey began to take shape.

As a first generation race car driver, Rodgers was introduced to go-kart racing at the age of eight and within 18 months was the reigning Hawai’i state champion and track record holder in Maui. From there, Rodgers became a regional champion in motocross, a stadium series champion in off-road UTVS and a 2015 West Coast NASA champion in sports car racing. In 2016, Rodgers became the winningest driver in the Pirelli World Challenge Pro B Spec class. These personal achievements paved the way for his current career in NASCAR, where he has gone on to become a winner in both the ARCA Menards Series East (2017-2018) and the ARCA Menards Series West (2018).     

Inspired by Will Rodgers personal endurance with liver disease, the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation was formed in 2020 to fill gaps for those affected with liver health issues by providing education, testing resources, and a link to care. The Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation’s vision is to build awareness and provide education of liver disease, remove any barriers for treatment of liver diseases from targeted demographics, provide link-to-care in targeted communities, and eliminate the negative stigma surrounding liver disease.

The foundation’s effort, driven by Rodgers, is culminating into his overall vision — a brand new philanthropic campaign to raise awareness for HCV — RaceToEndHepC.com.     

“A major element of the Race To End Hep C initiative is the at-track and in-community activation space. It’s important to reach the communities affected by HCV, in person, to communicate the importance of education, testing and treatment. Together, with our supporting partners, we’ll be providing a step-by-step process for any individuals wanting to learn more about HCV and how we’re Racing to End it.”

The Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation will provide an interactive environment at race events and select community locations to encourage liver health. Through his collaboration with OraSure, individuals will be provided with free HCV testing, which allows you to receive your results in minutes with a simple finger prick, educational materials and resources to take the next step for those with liver health needs.     

To find a community event near you, visit www.RaceToEndHepC.com.

About HCV and the OraQuick^® HCV Rapid Antibody Test
According to the CDC, HCV is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States, with approximately 2.4 million people infected. It is estimated that one in 30 Baby Boomers (adults born between 1945 and 1965) have chronic Hepatitis C and over half of the people infected with HCV in the United States are unaware of their infection. The CDC, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) have all issued guidance that recommends HCV testing for at-risk individuals including all Baby Boomers.

OraQuick^® HCV is the first and only FDA-approved and CLIA-waived point of care test for detection of HCV infection in at-risk individuals. The simple platform enables healthcare providers to deliver a diagnosis based on lab-accurate test results in 20 minutes, using venipuncture or fingerstick blood.

About the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation
By uniting the healthcare industry, the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation (WRLHF) seeks to build awareness and provide education on liver disease, remove any barriers for treatment of liver diseases for targeted demographics, provide link-to-care in targeted communities, and eliminate negative stigma surrounding liver disease. The WRLHF fills a need for a national, far-reaching campaign, coupled with a true ambassador for liver health. The foundation focuses on consumable education for the public, provides on-site & in-the-field testing and links patients with proper care. Additionally, the WRLHF stands to change the public’s negative perception of liver disease and has a goal to positively change the conversation. For more information on the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation, visit www.liverhealth.foundation.

About OraSure Technologies
OraSure Technologies empowers the global community to improve health and wellness by providing access to accurate, essential information. OraSure, together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, DNA Genotek, Diversigen, and Novosanis, provides its customers with end-to-end solutions that encompass tools, services and diagnostics. The OraSure family of companies is a leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of rapid diagnostic tests, sample collection and stabilization devices, and molecular services solutions designed to discover and detect critical medical conditions. OraSure’s portfolio of products is sold globally to clinical laboratories, hospitals, physician’s offices, clinics, public health and community-based organizations, research institutions, government agencies, pharma, commercial entities and direct to consumers. For more information on OraSure Technologies, please visit www.orasure.com.

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