WALTHAM, Mass., April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Alere Inc. (NYSE: ALR), a global leader in empowering individuals to take greater control of their health at home by connecting innovative diagnostics in the hands of patients to their healthcare providers, announced today that it is completing the delivery of one million rapid malaria tests in Zambia. The donated tests are part of an ongoing collaboration with Malaria No More, a global non-profit determined to end malaria deaths, on its Power of One campaign to raise funds to deliver life-saving tests and treatment to children in Africa where the disease burden is highest.

"As we observe World Malaria Day 2014, it is important to recognize the considerable progress global efforts have made to control and eliminate malaria," said Avi Pelossof, Global President of Infectious Disease at Alere. "Yet, despite that progress malaria still kills an estimated 627,000 people every year, mainly children under the age of 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Alere is deeply committed to working with partners such as Malaria No More to defeat malaria by improving access to diagnostic testing and treatments for the disease."¹

Alere, as exclusive diagnostics partner to Malaria No More, will donate a total of two million of its Alere SD BIOLINE Malaria Rapid tests over the course of the Power of One campaign. With test results in 15 minutes from a drop of finger stick blood, the Alere SD BIOLINE Malaria test can accurately diagnose malaria to enable timely treatment with the potential to save a life.

Malaria is a major public health problem in Zambia and has been one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country. Of all people who die from malaria in Zambia (approximately 8,000 per year), 50 percent or more are children under 5 years of age.² Strong partnerships such as the one with Malaria No More have helped Zambia make considerable progress in the fight against malaria by implementing effective malaria prevention, testing, treatment, and care interventions.

About Alere
By developing new capabilities in near-patient diagnosis, monitoring and health information technology, Alere enables individuals to take charge of improving their health and quality of life at home. Alere's global leading products and services, as well as its new product development efforts, focus on infectious disease, toxicology, cardiology and diabetes. Alere is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information regarding Alere, please visit www.alere.com.

References
¹World Health Organization, World Malaria Day, 25 April 2014, http://www.who.int/campaigns/malaria-day/2014/event/en/.
²UNICEF, http://www.unicef.org/zambia/5109_8454.html.

SOURCE Alere Inc.