Post by icemandios on Oct 19, 2020 13:00:21 GMT
OraSure’s OMNIgene®·ORAL Collection Device Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization for SARS CoV-2
BETHLEHEM, Pa., Oct. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR), a leader in point-of-care diagnostic tests, specimen collection devices, and microbiome laboratory and analytical services, today announced its DNA Genotek subsidiary has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of DNA Genotek’s OMNIgene®·ORAL (OM-505, OME-505) saliva collection and stabilization device in COVID-19 testing. This is the first FDA EUA that allows for the unsupervised use of the device at-home or in a healthcare setting when used as part of an approved or validated at-home test kit, meaning patients can safely collect their own sample, without the presence of a healthcare professional.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, DNA Genotek has been committed to addressing this global health emergency, and we are pleased to be able to provide a robust solution for easy, safe sample collection that supports detection of this highly contagious virus,” said Kathleen Weber, Executive Vice President, Business Unit Leader, Molecular Solutions at DNA Genotek. “Laboratories and test providers in both the U.S. and European Union can benefit from having a device that collects RNA for SARS-CoV-2, as evidenced by it being both CE marked and FDA authorized.”
“Easy-to-use and reliable methods to detect SARS-CoV-2 are crucial to meet the massive need for testing which the Rockefeller Foundation estimates at 2.4 billion tests annually in the U.S. alone,” said Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., OraSure President and Chief Executive Officer. “The DNA Genotek team quickly leveraged its innovative spirit and expertise with molecular sample collection to address this need with OMNIgene®·ORAL and the unsupervised, in-home sample collection that it supports when used as part of a validated at-home test kit.”
In addition to its device EUA, OraSure announced several other milestones related to the use of DNA Genotek’s collection devices for COVID-19 testing:
Use of DNA Genotek collection kits continue to grow in back-to-work settings, back-to-school programs, and laboratory testing, including:
30,000 students tested at the University of Kansas before returning to campus, via Clinical Reference Laboratory;
Test kits available at Albertsons Companies pharmacies throughout the U.S. via Phosphorus Diagnostics;
Back-to-work programs integrating COVID-19 testing, monitoring, assessment and access to telemedicine visits for companies, through Azova, Inc.
DNA Genotek has scaled up manufacturing of saliva collection devices to meet customer demand for COVID-19 testing, and plans to significantly increase capacity in the first quarter of 2021.
The DNA Genotek kits for detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been included in six customer EUAs.
The OMNIgene®·ORAL device has been included in EUAs granted to Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL) and P23. The OraCollect®·RNA device has been included in EUAs granted to Biocerna LLC, MiraDx and Quadrant Biosciences. The Oragene®·Dx device has been included in an EUA granted to Phosphorus Diagnostics.
About OraSure Technologies
OraSure Technologies empowers the global community to improve health and wellness by providing access to accurate, essential information. Together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, DNA Genotek, Diversigen, CoreBiome (now operating under the Diversigen brand), UrSure and Novosanis, OraSure provides its customers with end-to-end solutions that encompass tools, services and diagnostics. The OraSure family of companies is a leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of rapid diagnostic tests, sample collection and stabilization devices, and molecular services solutions designed to discover and detect critical medical conditions. OraSure’s portfolio of products is sold globally to clinical laboratories, hospitals, physician’s offices, clinics, public health and community-based organizations, research institutions, government agencies, pharma, commercial entities and direct to consumers. For more information on OraSure Technologies, please visit www.orasure.com.
About DNA Genotek
DNA Genotek Inc., a subsidiary of OraSure Technologies, Inc., focuses on providing high-quality biological sample collection products and end-to-end services for human genomics and microbiome applications. The Company's Oragene®•Dx and ORAcollect®•Dx product lines are the first and only FDA 510(k) cleared saliva-based DNA collection devices for in vitro diagnostic use. DNA Genotek also offers Research Use Only products to collect and preserve large amounts of DNA or RNA from multiple sample types. DNA Genotek markets its products worldwide and has a global customer base with thousands of customers in over 100 countries. For more information about DNA Genotek, visit www.dnagenotek.com .