Qiagen To Launch Rapid Portable Coronavirus Test

(RTTNews) - Qiagen, a company which delivers sample to insight solutions for molecular testing, on Tuesday announced its plans to launch a new portable coronavirus test, that can give results in 15 minutes and can analyze more than 30 samples in one hour.

The Covid-19 test called Access Antigen Test comes in two versions- one for labs and another for point-of-care (POC) use, the Netherlands-based company noted.

"The portable test offers a new combination of speed and scale that marks an important step towards decentralized mass testing that health authorities all over the world have been urgently seeking," Qiagen said in a release.

Qiagen's SARS-CoV-2 antigen test uses eHub, a portable machine to analyze nasal swab samples. The device, which was launched in August with the company's 10-minute Coronavirus antibody test, can handle up to 8 samples at a time.

Developed in partnership with Australian digital diagnostics company, Ellume, Access Antigen Test is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Qiagen plans to apply for Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA. If the test gets a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver, it could be used at more crowded places like airports and stadiums.

The company is also aiming for seeking approval in Europe.