THOROFARE, N.J., April 13, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Akers Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:AKER) (AIM:AKR.L), (“Akers” or the “Company”), a medical device company focused on reducing the cost of healthcare through faster, easier diagnostics, has added six new distributors to market its rapid tests for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (“HIT”) in nine additional countries within Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
The Company has signed multi-year distribution agreements for PIFA Heparin/PF4 Rapid Assay products with Pathway Diagnostics Ltd, covering Great Britain; ACCUSCIENCE Ireland Ltd, covering Ireland and Northern Ireland; Tokra Medikal Tic Ltd Sti, covering Turkey; LabPro d.o.o, covering Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina; AVL Sofia Ltd, covering Bulgaria; and MASTERLAB SARL, covering Morocco.
Akers has developed the only U.S. and E.U. cleared rapid test to detect a potentially fatal allergy to the widely used blood thinner, heparin. This clinical syndrome known as HIT reverses heparin’s intended therapeutic effect and transforms it into a clotting agent. Patients suffering HIT are at risk of developing limb- and life-threatening complications, so the rapid diagnosis provided by the Company’s Heparin/PF4 devices is paramount to effective, clinical decision making. Millions of patients are exposed to heparin around the world each year and between 1% and 5% of those patients receive a HIT diagnosis. The largest at-risk populations are patients undergoing major cardiac or orthopedic surgical procedures. 
“As sales of our rapid tests for HIT continue to rise in the U.S., we are actively seeking to roll out the marketing to other countries around the world,” said Raymond F. Akers, Jr. PhD, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Board. “These additional distribution partnerships add to our expanding global footprint, which now exposes the Company’s flagship test to 20 non-U.S. markets including China,” continued Dr. Akers.
“Key to growing the international footprint is partnering with distributors with the right networks and experience to drive sales – in some cases in countries where there is no established procedure for testing for HIT,” added Nicolas Daurel, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for EMEA. “We are confident that our international partners have these credentials and look forward to supporting their strategies.”