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Qiagen to Distribute Altona RT-PCR Ebola Test

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) — Qiagen announced today it will offer global distribution of the Altona Diagnostics RealStar Ebolavirus RT-PCR Kit 1.0.

Manufactured and developed by Hamburg, Germany-based Altona, the diagnostic kit can detect all known strains of Ebola viruses, including the Zaire strain driving the current epidemic in West Africa.

"We are making Ebola diagnostic workflows accessible to public health authorities, scientists, and healthcare providers through our commercial networks around the world, including in Africa," Qiagen CEO Peer Schatz said in a statement.

The US Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the kit on Nov. 10.

The distribution agreement expands an existing collaboration between the two firms. Qiagen is also distributing the RealStar Filovirus RT-PCR kit, which tests for Ebola and Marburg viruses.