UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K/A
CURRENT REPORT
(As Amended)
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
July 7, 2003
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(Date of earliest event reported)
LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
DELAWARE 1-11353 13-3757370
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(State or other (Commission (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification
incorporation) Number
358 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
27215
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(Address of principal executive offices)
336-229-1127
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(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Explanatory Note:
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This 8-K/A is furnished to amend the Form 8K
furnished on July 7, 2003.
ITEM 9. Regulation FD Disclosure.
Burlington, NC, July 7, 2003 - Laboratory Corporation of America
Holdings (LabCorp-Registered Trademark-) (NYSE: LH) today announced
that it has entered into a marketing and distribution relationship with
Atherotech, a leading cardiodiagnostic company and specialty reference
laboratory, to offer its proprietary Vertical Auto Profile (VAP-Trade
mark-) Cholesterol Test. The multi-year agreement includes a provision
for the transfer of patented testing technology to LabCorp, after which, if
certain conditions are met, LabCorp would become the first clinical
laboratory licensed to perform the cardiovascular disease risk assessment
assay within its own national laboratory system.
This innovative partnership will ensure broader patient access for
Atherotech's VAP Test technology through LabCorp's extensive sales
and distribution network, while adding an important test to LabCorp's
already broad menu of esoteric assays for cardiovascular disease.
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease
kills more Americans than any other illness, and reducing risk factors is
extremely important. Atherotech's VAP Test is an expanded cholesterol
test designed to improve the identification of people at risk for heart
disease. It provides direct, detailed measurements of cholesterol
subclasses that play important roles in the development of heart disease.
"We are pleased to offer the VAP Cholesterol Test as part of our broadly
available menu of service offerings for cardiovascular disease," said
Myla Lai-Goldman, MD, executive vice president, medical director and
chief scientific officer for LabCorp. "Many of our physician customers
have been asking for this valuable test to help improve patient care. This
initial strategic partnership with Atherotech is significant because it will
increase patient access to important cardiovascular technology. We also
continue to explore additional opportunities to further expand our
relationship with Atherotech."
"Cardiovascular disease is a major public health problem affecting nearly
60 million Americans, and the need for increased access to effective
cardiovascular disease risk assessment tools is clear," said Atherotech
President and Chief Executive Officer Roseanne Varner. "This new
marketing and distribution relationship with LabCorp allows us to reach
significantly more physicians who need technologies like our VAP Test
to develop appropriate cardiovascular therapies for their patients."
About Atherotech
Atherotech, based in Birmingham, Ala., is dedicated to improving the
prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease and other
cardiovascular diseases that kill nearly 1 million people each year. The
company's VAP Cholesterol Test, the new standard of care for
cholesterol risk assessment, meets updated National Cholesterol
Education Program guidelines, which call for improved patient diagnosis
and more aggressive treatment of heart disease. The test is reimbursed
by a growing number of insurers and managed care organizations. For
more information, visit the company's Web site at www.thevaptest.com.
About LabCorp
The first national clinical laboratory to fully embrace genomic testing,
Laboratory Corporation of America-Registered Trademark- Holdings
(LabCorp-Registered Trademark-) has been a pioneer in
commercializing new diagnostic technologies. As a national laboratory
with annual revenues of $2.5 billion in 2002 and over 24,000 employees,
the Company offers more than 4,000 clinical tests ranging from routine
blood analyses to sophisticated molecular diagnostics. Serving over
200,000 clients nationwide, LabCorp combines its expertise in
innovative clinical testing technology with its Centers of Excellence. The
Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology, in Research Triangle Park,
North Carolina, offers state-of-the-art molecular gene-based testing in
infectious disease, oncology and genetics. DIANON Systems, its
Anatomic Pathology Center of Excellence, is a leader in oncology and
genetic testing, and National Genetics Institute in Los Angeles is an
industry leader in developing novel, highly sensitive polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) methods for testing hepatitis C and other blood borne
infectious agents. LabCorp's Minneapolis-based ViroMed offers
molecular microbial testing using real time PCR platforms, while its
Center for Esoteric Testing in Burlington, North Carolina, performs the
largest volume of specialty testing in the network. LabCorp's clients
include physicians, state and federal government, managed care
organizations, hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical and Fortune 1000
companies, and other clinical laboratories.
Each of the above forward-looking statements is subject to change based on
various important factors, including without limitation, competitive actions in
the marketplace and adverse actions of governmental and other third-party
payors. Actual results could differ materially from those suggested by these
forward-looking statements. Further information on potential factors that could
affect LabCorp's financial results is included in the Company's Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2002 and subsequent SEC filings.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS
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(Registrant)
By:/s/ BRADFORD T. SMITH
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Bradford T. Smith
Executive Vice President
and Secretary
Date: July 8, 2003