Walmart to Begin Nationwide In-Store Sales of Biomerica’s EZ Detect™ Colorectal Screening Test

• Over 4,600 Walmart Stores to sell the EZ Detect™ product
• Simple 2 minute at-home test detects early warning sign of colorectal cancer

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) (the “Company”) today announced that Walmart has begun in-store sales and rollout of the Company’s EZ Detect™ colorectal disease screening test within the nationwide Walmart retail system. Biomerica has shipped the EZ Detect product to Walmart distribution centers in the US and product is projected to be on the shelf in over 4,600 Walmart Stores nationwide over the next two weeks. The in-store retail placement follows Biomerica’s previous announcement in early October, that Walmart had begun sales of EZ Detect™ product for online purchase through Walmart.com (https://www.walmart.com/ip/EZ-Detect-Colon-Disease-Test-Kit/577079744). As part of its ongoing sales strategy, the Company has hired an internal digital and social media team to increase its presence on all major social communication platforms (Instagram: https://bit.ly/3j5FYDB; Facebook: https://bit.ly/3aBJBfN;   Twitter: https://bit.ly/3BNROJW), and to promote awareness for its at-home testing products. In addition, Biomerica is in negotiations with several large partners for distribution of the EZ Detect™ product in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The EZ Detect™ colon disease screening test is the simplest at-home test to detect occult (hidden) blood in a person’s stool, which can be an early warning sign of colorectal diseases, including colon and rectal cancers. The test does not require handling of stool or dietary restrictions.  A person simply places an EZ Detect™ test pad into the toilet after a bowel movement.  A change in the pad’s color to blue/green, which would appear within two minutes, indicates the presence of blood in the stool.  The pad is then simply flushed down the toilet.

“We’re excited to broaden our relationship with Walmart to now have EZ Detect™ available in the store at retail locations across the country, in addition to their online sales channel,” commented Zack Irani, CEO of Biomerica. “Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. Each week, approximately 220 million customers and members visit stores and clubs in 24 countries and on eCommerce websites. Early detection is a key factor to beating colorectal cancer. The inclusion of EZ Detect™ on Walmart shelves is a significant development in making our easy and innovative in-home tests available to more patients.”

Colorectal cancer (“CRC”) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. In 2020, an estimated 147,950 Americans were projected to be diagnosed with CRC, and an estimated 53,200 were projected to die from the disease, including 17,930 cases and 3,640 deaths in individuals under the age of 50 ^[1].

In a study performed by Johns Hopkins University, EZ Detect™ was preferred 10:1 by patients over another fecal occult blood test. Published studies have also indicated that the best colorectal screening test is “the one that gets done.” ^[2] Other colorectal screening tests require handling of the stool and delivering or mailing the stool sample to a lab for processing. Handling of the stool results in a high percentage of these competing tests never being performed by patients^[3]. EZ Detect™ does not require handling of the stool, is simple to perform and provides results at home in just two minutes.

For further information about the EZ Detect Product, please visit ezdetect.com

About Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA)

Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical technology company that develops, patents, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic and therapeutic products used at the point of care (in home and in physicians' offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for detection and/or treatment of medical conditions and diseases. The Company's products are designed to enhance the health and well-being of people, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica’s primary focus is on gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases where the Company has multiple diagnostic and therapeutic products in development.

1.      Siegel, R.L., et al., Colorectal cancer statistics, 2020. CA Cancer J Clin, 2020. 70(3): p. 145-164.
2.      Lansdorp-Vogelaar, I., A.B. Knudsen, and H. Brenner, Cost-effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening - an overview. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol, 2010. 24(4): p. 439-49.
3.      Navarro, M., et al., Colorectal cancer population screening programs worldwide in 2016: An update. World J Gastroenterol, 2017. 23(20): p. 3632-3642.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the efficacy of the Company’s EZ Detect and other tests, FDA clearance of the Company’s products, possible in-store offering of EZ Detect, the number of stores where the EZ Detect and other products are or will be sold or available, the rapidity of testing results, negotiations with existing and new international distribution partners, uniqueness of the Company’s products, test result accuracy of products, potential for the products to detect signs of cancer and other diseases, pricing of the Company’s test kits, demand for domestic or international orders, potential revenues from the sale of current or future products, availability of the Company’s test kits, and patent protection on any of the Company’s products or technologies. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, including, without limitation: results of studies testing the efficacy of the Company’s tests, InFoods tests and other products; regulatory approvals necessary prior to commercialization of the Company’s products; availability of the Company’s test kits and other products; capacity, resource and other constraints on our suppliers; dependence on our third party manufacturers; dependence on international shipping carriers; governmental import/export regulations; demand for our various tests and other products; competition from other similar products and from competitors that have significantly more financial and other resources available to them; governmental virus control regulations that make it difficult or impossible for the company to maintain current operations; the Company’s ability to comply with current and future regulations in the countries where our products are made and sold and the Company’s ability to obtain patent protection on any aspects of its rapid test technologies. Accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. Additionally, potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Corporate Contact:

John Nesbett /Jennifer Belodeau
IMS Investor Relations
203.972.9200
jnesbett@institutionalms.com

Source: Biomerica, Inc.