BGI will establish six so-called Huo-Yan COVID-19 testing labs in Saudi Arabia, based on the emergency lab the firm set up in Wuhan, China in February.
The RT-PCR-based tests are designed to detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in a range of upper and lower respiratory specimens including nasal swabs and sputum.
Vela anticipates CE-IVD marking for an automated version of its test, and JN Medsys has received authorization for its test in Singapore and the Philippines.
The test is designed for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, nasal, and mid-turbinate nasal swab specimens as well as sputum.
Fluidigm's Biomark HD microfluidic platform will enable more than 180,000 real-time PCR tests to be run over the next 90 days to potentially support COVID-19 screening.
The partners received Emergency Use Authorization last week for a test that uses oral fluids, and the lab has capacity to test up to 10,000 samples per day.
The firm is looking into options for partnerships to bring a COVID-19 serology test to market, which could leverage its large installed base of instruments.
Combining Ubiquitome's handheld PCR device and Oxford Nanopore's sequencer may enable a single person to screen 500 samples and obtain 24 whole genome sequences per day.
The Novodiag COVID-19 real-time PCR assay enables on-demand and fully automated detection of early COVID-19 infections in about one hour, the firm said.
The test is designed to detect SARS-CoV-2 E and RDRP genes in nasal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal swabs, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage specimens.
Rady's Children Hospital and San Diego County are teaming up to test pediatric patients and their families for COVID-19 to gauge the spread of the virus locally, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Wildlife managers aim to boost the genetic diversity of Mexican gray wolves by placing captive-born foster pups into packs with similarly aged wild pups, the Mercury News reports.
