Update on McKesson US distribution agreement

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR).

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

("EKF", the "Company")

Update on McKesson US distribution agreement for DiaSpect Tm 

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF), the AIM listed point-of-care business, announces that further to the private label distribution agreement with McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc., sales of the McKesson Consult^® Hb analyzer are expected next month following the full launch of the product in the US.

In August 2018 EKF signed a private label distribution agreement with McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc., an affiliate of the McKesson Corporation, for the Company's hand-held reagent-free hemoglobin analyzer, the DiaSpect Tm. McKesson is the oldest and largest healthcare company in the US, serving more than 50% of US hospitals and 20% of physicians. The DiaSpect Tm is the world's fastest hemoglobin analyzer and will be sold in the US by McKesson under its own branded line, as the McKesson Consult^® Hb analyzer.

The agreement follows US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance and CLIA waiver by statute for the DiaSpect Tm in April 2018, approving the product for use in point of care and Certificate of Waiver settings. 

The full launch of the McKesson Consult® Hb analyzer in the US is scheduled for 6 February 2019 with sales contributing to EKF revenue growth in the current financial year ending 31 December 2019 and onwards.

For more information on the DiaSpect Tm see: www.ekfdiagnostics.com/diaspect.html 

Commenting, Julian Baines, CEO of EKF Diagnostics, said: "The DiaSpect Tm gives physicians access to an easy to use, accurate and portable hemoglobin measurement system able to deliver laboratory quality results at the point of care within seconds. This agreement with McKesson allows us to offer our innovative point of care hemoglobin analysis technology to physicians and childcare specialists across the US through the market's leading and most established healthcare distribution player. It also affirms the quality of EKF's product and manufacturing capabilities."

Christopher Rogers, Vice President, McKesson Brands: "We are excited to partner with EKF Diagnostics to offer this industry leading technology, providing physicians a convenient design and fast, accurate results for onsite blood testing. The McKesson Consult^® Hb analyzer demonstrates McKesson Brands' ongoing commitment to offering value-oriented lab solutions to assist our customers in providing improved care for their patients."

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About McKesson Medical-Surgical mms.mckesson.com

McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc. is an affiliate of the McKesson Corporation. McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 6th on the FORTUNE 500, is a global leader in healthcare supply chain management solutions, retail pharmacy, community oncology and specialty care, and healthcare information technology. McKesson Medical-Surgical works with health systems, physician offices, extended care providers, in-home patients, labs, payers and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson Medical-Surgical helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services.

About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (www.ekfdiagnostics.com)

EKF is a leading point-of-care diagnostics and central laboratory assay manufacturer with an estimated 80,000 hemoglobin, hematocrit, HbA1c, glucose and lactate analyzers in regular use across more than 100 countries. EKF specializes in developing tests for use in anemia and diabetes diagnosis and management, as well as providing a portfolio of reagents for use in clinical chemistry analyzers.