Australian biotechnology company Rockeby Biomed Ltd, based in West Perth, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pacific Biotech, whereby Pacific will assign the ownership of the avian and human influenza rapid diagnostic tests to Rockeby.
The company said the change from the previous marketing agreement to a full rights agreement would result in a reduction in the direct cost of both products of approximately 70%.
The company expects to execute the MoU into a full agreement within 3 months subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence.
Last week, the company announced that it had received and dispatched an order for 7,000 of its rapid diagnostic tests for Avian (or Bird) Flu to Romania.
The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority in Bucharest, Romania, reported on 16th May five new outbreaks in that country.
The Rockeby Avian Influenza Virus Rapid Kit is recommended by the Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health.
In February, the company completed further distribution deals in Europe for its avian bird flu diagnostics as the strain of avian influenza A, H5N1, spread from Asia to the European Union.