Korean biotech companies are rolling out diagnostic kits for simultaneous detection of influenza and Covid-19 viruses, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues into the autumn/winter season in the northern hemisphere. One local firm developed a portable lab for Covid-19 diagnosis.
Humasis said Wednesday that it has obtained the regulatory approval to export a rapid diagnostic kit that can simultaneously check the Covid-19 and influenza virus infection.
Humasis Covid-19·Flu Ag Combo Test uses a nasopharyngeal swab from a suspected patient and provides the result within 15 minutes. The kit’s display windows show a positive or a negative result, depending on the Covid-19 and influenza virus's presence. If the patient had infections with both, the kit displays positive results on both windows.
The test kit was to prepare “twindemic,” a simultaneous Covid-19 and flu outbreak, Humasis said.
On Sept. 8, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said the government reviewed a device that can simultaneously diagnose Covid-19 and flu. So far, Kogene Biotech’s diagnostic kit has won the nod for a clinical performance test.
Seegene also said it planned to release AllplexTM SARS-CoV/FluA/FluB/RSV Assay, a diagnostic product detecting Covid-19 with various respiratory viruses at once, within September.
The upcoming test kit will detect Covid-19, influenza A and B, and respiratory syncytial virus RSV) A and B that cause colds and severe bronchiolitis, Seegene said.
Boditech Med said last month that it developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit to diagnose Covid-19 and influenza A and B.
On Wednesday, Macrogen said it has developed a portable lab for Covid-19 diagnosis and agreed to export the product.
The company signed a deal with LG International to export “Smart Mobile Lab” on Tuesday, news reports said.
Smart Mobile Lab is a mobile container-type Covid-19 detection system developed for the first time in Korea, according to Macrogen. The company said it applied strict biosafety criteria for the product. The mobile lab can extract virus genetic materials, run real-time gene amplification tests (RT-PCR), and derive analysis results, the company said.
The portable lab enables a quick Covid-19 test, and it is movable on a trailer so that it can be installed anywhere easily, Macrogen said.
However, Smart Mobile Lab does not run tests through patient visits but receives specimens from medical institutions. The 40-foot portable lab with two testers at maximum can conduct 576 tests daily.
The first two portable labs will be shipped to Indonesia via LG International. The two firms are discussing an additional export contract.
Macrogen aims to ship Smart Mobile Lab to countries with a shortage of medical institutions capable of Covid-19 tests.
“Medical devices equipped in Smart Mobile Lab have passed the certifications of Indonesia,” a Macrogen official said. “We plan to export it to countries where Covid-19 tests are not readily available.”