30-minute COVID-19 test based on LANL tech wins Emergency Use Authorization

A 30-minute SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test based on technology developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) received Emergency Use Authorization on March 24 from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The Accula SARS-CoV-2 Test is a visually read test using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19) via throat and nasal swab samples. It was commercialized by San Diego-based Mesa Biotech, a privately held molecular diagnostics company, based on technology developed by LANL. The project was supported by NIH grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Western Regional Centers for Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease program.

Similar to Mesa Biotech's commercially available tests for influenza and RSV, the Accula SARS-CoV-2 Test is designed for the point-of-care use, including temporary screening facilities, physician office labs, urgent care, and long term nursing facilities. The system complements central laboratories where current testing is performed. Mesa Biotech's compact coronavirus test yields laboratory-quality results in approximately 30 minutes.

"Our Accula system is easy to use and fits in the palm of your hand. This allows many units to be run side by side in the doctor's office further increasing the speed of COVID-19 diagnosis," Hong Cai, Mesa Biotech Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement released by the company. "The potential to reduce the growing strain on our nation's hospitals is tremendous."

Read the statement here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mesa-biotech-receives-emergency...