About Us: History

2002: PointCare Technologies Inc. is founded

In 2002, the people who later founded PointCare were approached by friends involved in the worldwide push to provide AIDS therapy to patients in resource-poor regions. They knew that Peter Hansen, the key innovator at PointCare, had already invented the first automated CD4 test. This approach resulted in our quest to “come up with an affordable version”.

During months of travel in Africa, we discovered it wasn’t enough just to lower the cost of the diagnostic solutions used in industrialised nations. We saw many donated flow cytometers under dust covers. Why? We realised that — to be successful in resource-limited environments — diagnostic solutions must be easy to use (any caregiver should be able to use them) and must operate from any power source. Also we found that reagents must be heat-stable both in transport and storage.

Remembering the glimmer of hope in caregivers’ eyes when we promised these criteria could be met, we became more resolved. We set out to invent what is now the only product that fulfils these needs in resource-poor settings.

2003:PointCare begins R&D for the first instrument, the AuRICA
November 2004:PointCare obtains FDA approval for the AuRICA
March 2006:PointCare launches the AuRICA analyser for CD4 testing
PointCare delivers the first instrument
August 2006:PointCare introduces its new product in development at the Toronto AIDS meeting: the PointCare NOW
2006-2007:PointCare partners with C2 Diagnostics
PointCare and C2 Diagnostics collaborate to develop the PointCare NOW — the next-generation, near-patient CD4 analyser to replace the AuRICA
March 2007:The PointCare Quality Management System becomes ISO-certified to ISO13485:2003
January 2008:PointCare NOW receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 14, 2008 for the PointCare NOW System
March 2008:PointCare NOW receives a Moderate Complexity CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) rating from the FDA for all parameters provided including CD4 count and CD4%
June 2008:PointCare expands adding dedicated field support in Africa

The PointCare NOW system is a completely mobile testing unit