The first rapid tests manufactured in the UK are being deployed at universities across England to detect asymptomatic Covid-19 cases. Also called lateral flow tests (LFTs), the tests are manufactured by SureScreen Diagnostics and deliver results within 15 minutes. Currently, the company can produce nearly seven million tests weekly and plans to grow the capacity to 14 million per week by the end of December this year. The UK Government says that these tests are an important part of its rapid testing programme to offer LFTs at no cost across the country.
SOTECH Health has sought Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a portable, reusable, rapid, at-home breath test device for Covid-19. The company licensed the platform technology associated with the device from the University of Texas and further optimised it under an intellectual property assignment/sponsored research agreement (IPA/SRA) with the university. A sensor present in the device identifies gaseous metabolites that indicate Covid-19 and results are sent to the company’s cloud and companion smartphone app. People who test positive are directed to receive a standard test to confirm Covid-19.
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Chembio Diagnostics has submitted an application to the FDA for EUA for its DPP Respiratory Antigen Panel test system, which can deliver simultaneous and differential identification of influenza A, influenza B and SARS-CoV-2 antigens from one patient sample using a nasal swab. Set to offer results in nearly 20 minutes, the test system can be read on the company’s DPP Micro Reader analyzer. It is intended to help limit the spread of Covid-19 cases in the flu season.
