CVS Health to Begin Nationwide In-Store Sales of Biomerica’s EZ Detect™ Colorectal Disease Screening Test

• Over 7,000 CVS Pharmacy Stores to sell the EZ Detect™ Test
• Simple 2 minute at-home test detects an early warning sign of colorectal cancer

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) (the “Company”) today announced that CVS Pharmacy has begun in-store sales rollout of the Company’s EZ Detect™ colorectal disease screening test in over 7,000 stores nationwide throughout the CVS Pharmacy retail system. Biomerica has shipped the EZ Detect product to CVS Health distribution centers in the US, and the product is projected to be on store shelves in September. The Company is also working with CVS Health to introduce an additional Biomerica product to be sold in CVS pharmacies.  

Colorectal cancer (“CRC”) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. In 2023, an estimated 153,000 Americans are projected to be diagnosed with CRC, and an estimated 52,500 are projected to die from the disease, including 19,500 cases and 3,750 deaths in individuals under the age of 50 ^[1].

The EZ Detect™ colon disease screening test is the simplest at-home test to detect hidden (occult) blood in a person’s stool, which can be an early warning sign of colorectal diseases, including colon and rectal cancers. The test does not require any handling of stool or dietary restrictions. A person simply places an EZ Detect™ test pad into the toilet after a bowel movement. A change in the test pad’s color to blue/green, which would appear within two minutes, indicates the presence of blood in the stool. The pad is then simply flushed down the toilet. Patients who see a positive result should consult with their physician for next steps.

In a study performed by Johns Hopkins University, EZ Detect™ was preferred 10 to 1 by patients over another test. Published studies have also indicated that the best colorectal screening test is “the one that gets done.” ^[2] Other colorectal screening tests require handling of the stool and sending the stool sample to a lab for processing. Because of the difficulties of handling and mailing stool samples, a high percentage of these competing tests are never completed by patients^[3]. This potentially increases the risk for delayed detection of cancer. The EZ Detect™ test does not require handling of the stool, is simple to perform and provides results at home in just two minutes.

“We’re excited to broaden the distribution of EZ Detect in the US,” commented Zack Irani, CEO of Biomerica. “CVS Pharmacy is the largest Pharmacy system in the USA. Each day, approximately 5 million customers visit a CVS Pharmacy. Early detection is a key factor to beating colorectal cancer. The inclusion of EZ Detect™ on CVS Pharmacy shelves is a significant development in making our easy and innovative in-home tests available to more patients.”

As part of its ongoing sales strategy, the Company has an internal digital and social media team to promote and increase awareness for its at-home testing products on leading social media platforms, Including Instagram: https://bit.ly/3j5FYDB; Facebook: https://bit.ly/3aBJBfN and Twitter: https://bit.ly/3BNROJW). For further information about the EZ Detect Product, please visit www.ezdetect.com.     

About Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA)

Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical technology company that develops, patents, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic and therapeutic products used at the point of care (in home and in physicians’ offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for detection and/or treatment of medical conditions and diseases. The Company’s products are designed to enhance the health and well-being of people, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica’s primary focus is on gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases where the Company has multiple diagnostic and therapeutic products in development.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. CVS reaches more people and improves the health of communities across America through their local presence, digital channels and our nearly 300,000 dedicated colleagues – including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners. CVS helps people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. Learn more at www.cvshealth.com.

1. Siegel, R.L., et al., Colorectal cancer statistics, 2023. CA Cancer J Clin. 2023 May-Jun;73(3):233-254
2. Lansdorp-Vogelaar, I., A.B. Knudsen, and H. Brenner, Cost-effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening – an overview. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol, 2010. 24(4): p. 439-49.
3. Navarro, M., et al., Colorectal cancer population screening programs worldwide in 2016: An update. World J Gastroenterol, 2017. 23(20): p. 3632-3642.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the efficacy of the Company’s EZ Detect and other tests, possible in-store offering of EZ Detect and other Biomerica products, the number of stores where the EZ Detect and other products are or will be sold or available, the rapidity of testing results, negotiations with existing and new domestic and international distribution partners, uniqueness of the Company’s products, test result accuracy of products, potential for the products to detect signs of cancer and other diseases, pricing of the Company’s test kits, demand for domestic or international orders, potential revenues from the sale of the EZ Detect test in the CVS pharmacy system or through other distribution channels, or from the sales of other products, availability of the Company’s test kits, performance of the EZ Detect test as compared to competing products; and patent protection on any of the Company’s products or technologies. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, including, without limitation: results of studies testing the efficacy of the Company’s EZ Detect test, InFoods tests and other products; regulatory approvals necessary prior to commercialization of the Company’s products; availability of the Company’s test kits and other products; capacity, resource and other constraints on our suppliers; dependence on our third party manufacturers; dependence on international shipping carriers; governmental import/export regulations; demand for our various tests and other products; competition from other similar products and from competitors that have significantly more financial and other resources available to them; governmental virus control regulations that make it difficult or impossible for the company to maintain current operations; the Company’s ability to comply with current and future regulations in the countries where our products are made and sold and the Company’s ability to obtain patent protection on any aspects of its rapid test technologies. Accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. Additionally, potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company’s operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company’s ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company’s dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Corporate Contact:

Zack Irani
949-645-2111
zirani@biomerica.com

Source: Biomerica, Inc.