PENARTH-BASED business EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF) has announced that it has successfully completed registration of its Quo-Lab HbA1c analyser in Mexico.

Following registration, EKF Diagnostics, the AIM listed point-of-care diagnostics business, will have access to the entire Mexican health market, to include the opportunity to bid for a number of government tenders that are anticipated to be published in 2014.

The Quo-Lab A1c analyser was launched by EKF in July 2012 and has sold more than 1,700 units throughout the world.

HbA1c, also known as Glycated Haemoglobin, is widely used as the measurement for monitoring diabetes and has been recognised as the most effective monitoring method by both the World Health Organisation and NICE in the UK.

Diabetes is an increasing problem in Mexico where changes in lifestyle for a large proportion of the population have led to an epidemic in the condition. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that 15% of the Mexican population aged 20-79 years are diabetic and that more than 70,000 people die every year as a result of complications caused by diabetes.

Julian Baines, Group CEO of EKF Diagnostics, said: “Mexico is an important market for EKF. We have seen significant growth in sales of our HemoPoint H2 haemoglobin analyser in Mexico, and we anticipate that the registration of Quo-Lab will allow us to enter new markets that will deliver incremental growth for the business.”