DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS [Abstract]

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. (the "Company" or "Chembio") and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Chembio Diagnostic Systems Inc., develop, manufacture, and market rapid diagnostic tests that detect infectious diseases. The Company's main lateral flow products are three rapid tests for the detection of HIV antibodies in whole blood, serum and plasma samples, two of which were approved by the FDA in 2006; the third is sold for export only.  In addition the Company has several products based on its patented Dual Path Platform (DPP®) technology, including a HIV test approved by the FDA in 2013 and CLIA-Waived in 2014.  Lateral Flow Rapid HIV tests represented 41% of the Company's product revenues in the first nine months of 2015.  The Company's products based on its DPP® platform represented approximately 56% of the Company's product revenues in the first nine months of 2015. The Company also has other rapid tests and components that together represented approximately 3% of product sales in the first nine months of 2015.   The Company's products are sold to medical laboratories and hospitals, governmental and public health entities, non-governmental organizations, medical professionals and retail establishments, both domestically and internationally. Chembio's products are sold under the Company's STAT PAK®, SURE CHECK®, STAT-VIEW® or DPP® registered trademarks, or under the private labels of its marketing partners.  All of the Company's products that are currently being developed are based on its patented DPP®, which is a unique diagnostic point-of-care platform that has certain advantages over lateral flow technology.