Singapore: Critical Diagnostics, a US-based biomarker company focused on cardiovascular diseases, is expanding its presence in the Asia Pacific region with the addition of two distribution partners.

"This marks 17 Asia Pacific countries where we have distribution agreements for our Presage ST2 Assay," says Mr John Butterfield, vice president, Business Development, Critical Diagnostics, in Asia Pacific. "Coverage now includes the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, India, Napal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand."

Critical Diagnostics has chosen Wan King International as the exclusive distributor in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Wan King has an impressive cardiovascular biomarker sales, marketing and clinical team, and strong key thought-leader network. Presage ST2 significantly enhances the company's current cardiac product portfolio.

Additionally, Xovic has been selected to act as exclusive distributor in Thailand. Xovic has been a leading cardiovascular medicine supply company for more than 25 years, working with top global companies such as Philips Medical Systems. By leveraging their enviable cardiology presence, Presage ST2 provides an opportunity for Xovic to expand into the fast-growing Thailand IVD market.

"We firmly believe ST2 will help change the practice of managing heart failure patients," says Mr David Geliebter, chairman and CEO, Critical Diagnostics. "As the world's population grows, so will the rate of heart disease. The number of people 60 or older is expected to double by 2025 and to triple by 2050 globally. The proportion of this aged population is likely to increase more in the Asian-Pacific region; thus, half of the world's cardiovascular burden is predicted to occur in this area."