BD and BARDA partner for combination COVID tests

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) has collaborated with the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) on the development of a range of combination Covid-19-related diagnostic tests.

BARDA will provide $24.7m in initial funding to BD, which can be extended to $40.3m as part of the collaboration.

The funding will be utilised for the development and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance of five new tests.

These diagnostic tests will include the BD MAX System Respiratory Panel, BD COR System Respiratory Panel, BD Veritor Plus System Respiratory Panel, BD COR System Respiratory Panel plus Pan-Coronavirus, and BD MAX System Respiratory Panel plus Pan-Coronavirus.

BD stated that these panels cover testing in high-throughput laboratory, point-of-care and acute-care settings.

They aim to offer the ability for multiple pathogen screening using a single sample collected from an individual with respiratory illness symptoms.

Both, the BD MAX System Respiratory Panel and BD COR System Respiratory Panel have the ability to identify and distinguish between SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The BD MAX System Respiratory Panel plus Pan-Coronavirus and BD COR System Respiratory Panel plus Pan-Coronavirus tests are designed to identify and distinguish between Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), SARS-CoV-1, seasonal coronaviruses, and new or emerging coronaviruses, which will help address outbreaks in the future.

The BD Veritor Plus System Respiratory Panel can detect and differentiate between SARS-CoV-2, Influenza B and Influenza A at the point of care.

The five tests help in determining the causative agent of an illness and will enable health care providers to make decisions regarding the management of patient health and health care resources.

BD life sciences president Dave Hickey said: “This collaboration will allow us to develop a comprehensive suite of FDA-cleared tests for use at all levels of the US healthcare system to detect Covid-19, other respiratory pathogens and emerging coronaviruses in order to inform appropriate patient response and management.”

The company stated that the addition of Pan-Coronavirus tests on the BD COR and BD MAX Systems helps in detecting new or emerging coronaviruses. Medical Device Network