South Carolina adopts positive coverage of Aerocrine’s FeNO testing in Medicaid program
SOLNA, Sweden - 9 February, 2012 - Aerocrine AB (OMX Nordic Exchange: AERO) today announced that South Carolina’s Medicaid program now provides reimbursement of FeNO testing, bringing the total to 31 states including the District of Columbia
The State ofSouth Carolinahas added fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing to the Medicaid fee schedule; this policy change will have a positive impact on thousands of individuals in the South Carolina Medicaid Program.
Physicians use FeNO to assess eosinophilic airway inflammation, the primary underlying abnormality that affects the airways of individuals who have asthma. NIOX MINO is the only product of its kind currently on the market for assessing FeNO. This innovative technology helps eliminate the uncertainties in asthma management which contribute to asthma morbidity and mortality. FeNO testing can help physicians avoid an incorrect diagnosis, indentify patients who will be responsive to treatment with anti-inflammatory medications such as inhaled corticosteroids, and alert them to patients who are not adhering to their treatments..
“Measurement of exhaled nitric oxide will enable us to provide optimal asthma management to our patients, said Sonia Bains, MD of the Medical University of South Carolina. In less than two minutes, this simple and inexpensive test makes it possible for physicians to better help patients living with asthma with appropriate therapy and disease control based on the patients’ individual needs. This is a tremendous victory for patients and physicians who rely on FeNO testing to accurately provide the best treatment possible on an individual basis. We are elated that South Carolina Medicaid has validated the need for this important test and that thousands of patients will receive the care they need because of this new policy.”
“This simple 2 minute test can help save millions of dollars in unwarranted medication costs. Asthma has no cure, its all about control. Aerocrine’s technology can provide the physician with information regarding the patient’s airway inflammation status which is central to targeting the right treatment needed to achieve asthma control,” said DrKathy Rickardof Aerocrine. “FeNO testing is a significant advancement in managing the patient with asthma. Since the publication of the American Thoracic Guideline on FeNO, this test should be standard of care in every clinic managing asthma patients.”
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by symptoms including wheezing and difficulty in breathing. The disease affects more than 300 million people around the world, of whom a significant number are children. Aerocrine’s founders made the original discovery that the levels of nitric oxide in exhaled breath, FeNO, is elevated in patients with asthma. This has enabled a quick, effective and proactive method to measure the underlying inflammation in asthma, rather than being limited to reactively monitor its negative consequences in the form of symptoms and reduced lung function. The method has significant value in connection with diagnosis and choice of appropriate medication, as well as for the continuous management of asthma which is aimed at controlling the airway inflammation. Today, more than four million patient tests have been performed around the world using Aerocrine’s NIOX products.
For more information, contact:
Scott Myers, President & CEO, Aerocrine, Phone: +46 768 788 379
Kathy Hodgdon, director of sales & marketing, Aerocrine Inc., telephone +1 (314) 566 8546
Chip Neff, president, Aerocrine Inc., telephone +1 (919) 696 4267
About Aerocrine
Aerocrine AB is a medical technology company focused on the improved management and care of patients with inflammatory airway diseases. As the pioneer and leader in the technology to monitor and manage airway inflammation, Aerocrine markets NIOX® Flex and NIOX MINO®. Both products enable fast and reliable management of airway inflammation and may therefore play a critical role in more effective diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma. Aerocrine is based in Sweden with subsidiaries in the US, Germany and the UK. Aerocrine shares were listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange on 15 June 2007. Aerocrine discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Securities Markets Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication at 08:00 a.m. on February 10, 2012.