In vitro diagnostics firm Todos Medical and biophrma company Adial Pharmaceuticals have developed the the Assure/FaStep® and EcoStep® point-of-care (POC) antibody tests. The tests received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July this year, as antibody tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that indicated either recent or prior infection, but without fingerstick blood sample authorisation.
A collective of 20 African countries will receive new, World Health Organisation-approved antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19. Testing has not been sufficient in many African countries, with only 12 in the region reaching the key threshold of 10 tests per 10,000 people every week in the last month. Currently the two tests which WHO has approved for emergency use are the standard Q COVID-19 Antigen Test by SD Biosensor Inc and the Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Device, both manufactured by Abbott.
PocDoc, a digital health firm, has launched a testing service that will help Brits get back to work more safely, reports City A.M.. The finger prick test delivers results within 10 minutes, detecting Covid-19 infection, as well as the presence of antibodies indicative or a prior infection. The tests are being manufactured by BioSure, a diagnostic solutions provider in the UK.