MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS DESIGNS AND PRODUCES SAMPLE COLLECTION AND TRANSPORT KIT

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, April 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MMSI), a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices used primarily in cardiology, radiology and endoscopy, announced today that it has commenced production of a sample collection and transport kit, comprised of a nasopharyngeal swab and transport vial, used to collect specimens with suspected presence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The kit will be produced at Merit’s facility in South Jordan, Utah, with other Utah companies providing various services.

For the last several weeks, officials from Merit and the State of Utah have been working together in anticipation of an impending swab shortage.

“We have directed resources to the development of this kit, and our engineers, technicians, marketers and production staff have responded by working tirelessly to bring this important product to market in 30 days,” said Fred P. Lampropoulos, Merit’s Chairman and CEO. “We are especially pleased to provide this kit at a time when testing is an essential element of combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. We are increasing our tooling and production capacity to meet future anticipated demand.”

Merit has received its first purchase order for the product for $2.4 million from the State of Utah.

ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force and clinical support team totaling in excess of 300 individuals. Merit employs approximately 6,100 people worldwide with facilities in South Jordan, Utah; Pearland, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Malvern, Pennsylvania; Rockland, Massachusetts; Aliso Viejo, California; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; Markham, Ontario, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Reading, United Kingdom; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Singapore.