Calypte Stock Soars on Success of HIV Test

Calypte Biomedical Corp.’s shares rose 72% after researchers said its urine tests to screen for and confirm HIV infection can detect evidence of the virus even when blood tests are negative. Calypte rose $1.63 to close at $3.88 on Nasdaq. Researchers must still confirm that the virus is actually present in patients who tested positive only with the urine test. If that is the case, the $3 test could be widely used in conjunction with current blood tests to screen the blood supply, the researchers said. Berkeley-based Calypte, the only maker of urine tests for HIV, is resolving manufacturing and other quality control problems at its production plant that were identified by the Food and Drug Administration during an August inspection. Calypte, which posted a $2.6-million net loss in the third quarter, first won U.S. approval to market the test in August 1996 for all uses except screening by blood banks.