SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 27 -- OraSure Technologies, of Bethlehem, Pa., received a 2003 Photonics Circle of Excellence Award for its OraQuick Rapid HIV-1 antibody test, at a ceremony Monday night at the Fairmont Hotel. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Photonics West 2004 conference, being held here this week.
   The annual awards are given to the 25 most innovative photonics-related products of the year by Laurin Publishing's Photonics Spectra magazine editorial advisory board.
   OraQuick, which detects antibodies to HIV-1 within 20 minutes, has received FDA approval for use in testing finger-stick and venipuncture whole-blood specimens for antibodies to HIV-1. In addition, OraSure has received a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 waiver for the test, which permits it to be used in more than 180,000 sites in the US, such as outreach clinics, community-based organizations and doctors' offices.
   For more information, visit: orasure.com