DELAND, Fla., May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, today announced that DaVita Labs, the diagnostic laboratory servicing both dialysis organizations and physician practices, has implemented molecular diagnostic testing using technology from Roche Diagnostics.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20140318/DC85712LOGO

This molecular diagnostic testing will allow DaVita Labs to be the first dialysis laboratory in the country to test for Hepatitis C (HCV) virus levels in the blood (viral load) using the COBAS Ampliprep/COBAS TaqMan HCV v.2 test from Roche. This DNA-based technology will enable DaVita Kidney Care to help nephrologists manage patients with chronic HCV in conjunction with clinical and laboratory markers of infection. The test can be used to predict the probability of sustained virologic response (SVR) early during a course of antiviral therapy, and to assess a patient's response to antiviral treatment.

"The Roche technology provides state-of-the-art capabilities that will allow our physicians to more rapidly monitor the status of HCV infection, and, in keeping with the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations, determine the level of viremia," said Jason Cline, vice president and general manager of DaVita Labs.

The HCV virus, which infects approximately 170 million people worldwide, is a serious public health problem and is referred to as the "silent epidemic" as many infected patients do not have symptoms and have not been diagnosed. The CDC recently expanded its screening recommendations to the medical community, prompting more aggressive efforts to proactively diagnose and treat HCV infection. New infections continue to occur, and currently between 3.2 and 4.1 million people in the United States are living with the HCV virus. Among dialysis patients, where the prevalence of HCV infection is relatively high, the CDC recommends regular testing.

DaVita Labs will also evaluate viral load testing for Hepatitis B, HIV and cytomegalovirus - all of which are FDA-approved tests - on the Roche
quantitative PCR platform.

DaVita and DaVita Labs are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita Labs
DaVita Labs provides quality, on-time, accurate results to help effectively identify and manage kidney patients across the nation. As a cutting-edge chronic kidney disease (CKD) specialty laboratory, DaVita Labs features the latest in end stage renal disease-specific methodology and technology for delivering quality dialysis test results. DaVita Labs is fully accredited by the federal and state governmental agencies and the College of American Pathologists. For more information, please visit http://www.dvalab.com/ or call (877) 200-3181.

About DaVita
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of March 31, 2014, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,098 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 165,000 patients. The company also operated 75 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.

Contact Information
Media:
Vince Hancock
(303) 876-6618
Vince.hancock@davita.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140318/DC85712LOGO

SOURCE DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

SOURCE: DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.