QIAGEN Gains BARDA Funds for Test Kit for SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced it will develop a new QIAstat-Dx test kit to differentiate the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from 21 other serious respiratory infections and will receive advanced development support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Accelerated development of the QIAstat-Dx test kit further expands QIAGEN’s global mobilization for the emergency, which already includes a dramatic increase in production of components for a full range of U.S. and international testing protocols.

QIAGEN’s QIAstat-Dx solution to help in the response to COVID-19 disease becomes the first syndromic testing product selected for development through ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) streamlined selection process, known as an easy broad agency announcement (EZ-BAA). BARDA will contribute $598,000 to accelerate QIAGEN’s evaluation of the testing cartridge that detects the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The QIAstat-Dx kit will be a molecular testing panel designed to aid in the diagnosis of patients with respiratory syndromes, in about one hour, by differentiating the novel coronavirus from 21 other bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens. QIAGEN’s panel will include assays targeting two genes used to detect the pathogen behind the disease, Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/qiagen-gains-barda-funding-for-approval-process-of-qiastat-dx-test-kit-for-sars-cov-2-coronavirus/