VLGC Virologic (MM)

ViroLogic Announces New Jersey Medicaid Initiates Policy Covering HIV Drug Resistance Tests 48 States and the District of Columbia Medicaid Programs Now Reimburse for Resistance Testing SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ViroLogic, Inc. today announced that the New Jersey Medicaid Program has initiated a benefit coverage policy for phenotypic and genotypic HIV drug resistance testing, effective November 1, 2003. New Jersey joins 47 other states and the District of Columbia to implement Medicaid policies enabling reimbursement of the Company's HIV drug resistance assays. New Jersey has the fifth highest incidence of cumulative reported AIDS cases. This includes the highest percentage of women reported with AIDS and the third highest number of reported pediatric AIDS cases. Medicaid is the single largest payer for these patient populations. "Drug resistance threatens the recent gains made in treating HIV infection. HIV resistance testing offers clinicians the ability to adjust patient treatment accordingly. This new policy provides further validation of the utility of our resistance tests to manage HIV infection and will expand accessibility for many more patients who are likely to benefit from this important technology," said Tien Bui, ViroLogic's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In addition to statewide Medicaid coverage, Medicare and many private payers, including but not limited to Aetna US Healthcare, BlueCross BlueShield, Humana and United HealthCare provide reimbursement and benefit coverage for ViroLogic's HIV drug resistance assays. Several key states and the District of Columbia also provide funding for Ryan White Title programs. Questions about HIV drug resistance testing and reimbursement can be directed to ViroLogic's reimbursement hotline at 1-87-PHENOAID (1-877-436-6243), or to http://www.phenosense.com/. About ViroLogic ViroLogic is a biotechnology company advancing individualized medicine by discovering, developing and marketing innovative products to guide and improve treatment of serious viral diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis. The company's products are designed to help doctors optimize treatment regimens that lead to better patient outcomes and reduced costs. ViroLogic's technology is also being used by numerous biopharmaceutical companies to develop new and improved anti-viral therapeutics and vaccines targeted at emerging drug-resistant viruses. More information about the Company and its technology can be found on its web site at http://www.virologic.com/. Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company's products for patient testing may not continue to be accepted or that increased demand from physicians or from drug development partners may not develop as anticipated, the risk that ViroLogic may not continue to realize anticipated benefits from its cost-cutting measures, the timing of pharmaceutical company clinical trials, whether payors will authorize reimbursement for its products, whether the FDA or any other agency will decide to regulate ViroLogic's products or services, whether the Company will encounter problems or delays in automating its processes, whether ViroLogic successfully introduces new products, whether others introduce competitive products, whether intellectual property underlying the Company's PhenoSense technology is adequate, whether licenses to third party technology will be available, whether ViroLogic is able to build brand loyalty and expand revenues, and whether ViroLogic will be able to raise sufficient capital when required. For a discussion of other factors that may cause ViroLogic's actual events to differ from those projected, please refer to the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DATASOURCE: ViroLogic, Inc. CONTACT: Karen Wilson, CFO of ViroLogic, +1-650-624-4164, or Web site: http://www.virologic.com/

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