New Option for HIV Testing Now Available
Assay Can Help Provide Important
Health Information to Patients

Raritan, NJ, May 29, 2008 -- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics announced the availability of a new diagnostic assay for the detection of antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus types 1 and/or 2 (anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2). The VITROS Anti-HIV 1+2 assay recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and is now being shipped to clinical laboratories in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories.

The VITROS Anti-HIV 1+2 assay offers laboratories and physicians a new option for conducting HIV testing. With results readily available in less than 50 minutes, it is the first fully automated anti-HIV 1+2 test that can provide immediate results upon test completion. The anti-HIV 1+2 assay can be run on the VITROS ECi/ECiQ Immunodiagnostic System at any time, along with other types of tests and in any order -- features that can increase productivity and efficiency in the laboratory.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends routine, voluntary HIV testing in all health care settings, including health clinics and emergency rooms, for all individuals ages 13 to 64 without written informed consent. In addition, testing is recommended at least once a year for those at high risk and during pregnancy to assess the risk of transmission to the newborn.

"The VITROS Anti-HIV 1+2 assay is a new diagnostic tool that can help health clinics, emergency rooms and other screening facilities meet the demand of these new CDC testing recommendations by delivering fast, quality-controlled HIV test results," said Michael Waller, MD, vice president of clinical and medical affairs for Ortho Clinical Diagnostics.

Two multicenter research teams supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, have independently determined through the development of computer models that routine screening for HIV in health care settings is as cost-effective as screening for other conditions such as breast cancer and high blood pressure, and can provide important health and survival benefits. The studies also suggest that screening that leads to a diagnosis of HIV infection may further lower health care costs by preventing high-risk practices and decreasing virus transmission.

The VITROS Anti-HIV 1+2 assay, along with offerings from its affiliate companies, Tibotec and Virco, helps to expand the portfolio of diagnostics and therapeutics to address the needs of the growing HIV epidemic.

The VITROS Anti-HIV 1+2 Assay was co-developed with Chiron, a business of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc.

About the VITROS ECi/ECiQ Immunodiagnostic System

The VITROS ECi/ECiQ Immunodiagnostic System is a simple to use, flexible and fully automated laboratory testing system that provides true continuous, STAT, random access capabilities for routine and specialty immunodiagnostic testing. The system uses proprietary enhanced chemiluminescence detection technology to provide excellent assay performance including wide dynamic ranges and exceptional precision and sensitivity. The VITROS ECi/ECiQ Immunodiagnostic System also uses Intellicheck Technology, a proprietary technology designed to verify diagnostic checks throughout automated sample and assay processing.

The expanding VITROS ECi/ECiQ Immunodiagnostic System test menu now includes more than 45 tests worldwide for the sensitive measurement of thyroid function, reproductive health and fertility, bone metabolism, anemia, metabolic, oncology, emergency cardiology, and infectious diseases.

About Ortho Clinical Diagnostics

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, delivers high quality in vitro diagnostic products that give health care professionals around the world the knowledge they need to make better treatment decisions. The company serves the transfusion medicine community with donor screening and blood typing products to ensure the safety of the world's blood supply. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics also brings sophisticated testing technologies, automation and interpretation tools to clinical laboratories to help them run more efficiently and improve patient care.

For more information, visit www.orthoclinical.com.