Chembio DPP Technology to be Used in Development of Point-of-Care Diagnostic Test for Traumatic Brain Injury and Sports-Related Concussion

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. CEMI, a leader in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Concussion Science Group (CSG) Division of Perseus Science Group LLC, to utilize Chembio's patented DPP® technology to develop a POC diagnostic test for traumatic brain injury (TBI), including sports-related concussion. Under terms of the agreement, CSG's patented biomarker will be combined with Chembio's proprietary DPP® platform to develop a semi-quantitative or quantitative point-of-care test to diagnose TBI. CSG has agreed to pay Chembio milestone development payments during 2015. Brain injuries affect more than 775,000 children and adolescents who are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries each year. Reports indicate concussions are common among helmeted and non-helmeted sports, in spite of the improved design and mechanics of helmets. Concussion injuries occur at a significant rate at the high school and college level. Professional football players and other professional athletes also have a high incidence of concussion. The current methods for diagnosing TBI include neurological examination, CAT scan, MRI, and PET scans. Mild TBI, also referred to as concussion, is the most prevalent form of TBI and often goes undiagnosed at the time of injury. Rapid identification of a TBI, using a point-of-care test, could lead to early intervention and reduced incidence of secondary injuries. Protection of the mental functioning of athletes is an important goal in the quest for harm reduction in sports. John Sperzel, Chembio's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased to sign this agreement using our DPP® technology in a non-infectious disease application. Through this agreement, we will combine Perseus Science Group's proprietary research with our patented DPP® technology to develop a state-of-the-art rapid test for detection of traumatic brain injury, including sports-related concussion. It is our hope that bringing the DPP® technology to the brain injury market will aid in early diagnosis, reduced costs and improved outcomes for patients."