Irvine Firm’s Test Kits: Cincinnati-based Meridian Diagnostics...

Irvine Firm’s Test Kits: Cincinnati-based Meridian Diagnostics Inc. will manufacture and sell pregnancy, strep throat and other medical test kits developed by Disease Detection International of Irvine under a licensing agreement announced Tuesday.

Under the terms of the agreement, Meridian has 10-year, non-exclusive rights to make and sell DDI’s products that already have Food and Drug Administration approval. The contract also includes two 10-year renewals. Meridian will also have an exclusive license to market new products that receive FDA approval and are developed by the two companies under a research and development agreement.

DDI’s test kits, designed for use in doctors’ offices, include tests for toxoplasma, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes I and II, and yield results within minutes. The company has also developed a speedy test for antibodies to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus, but it has not yet received FDA approval.