Test can be performed by doctors, school and company nurses, and medical assistants, in any location without specialized equipment

swab

Biomerica’s fast 15-minute easy to use Covid-19 antigen test now available with simple nasal swab. (Credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA), a global provider of advanced medical products, announced that its new COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test can now be performed with a simple less invasive nasal swab. This simple nasal swab, which takes the sample from the front opening of the nose, is less invasive and more comfortable for patients than the deep anterior nasal swab which is typically used.

The test is highly portable, cost effective and provides visual results negating the need for any equipment to perform or read the test. The test also provides results in 15 minutes versus lab-run PCR tests which can take up to three days for results, thereby potentially expediting the process of identifying infectious people and preventing further spread of the virus.

Zack Irani, CEO at Biomerica, commented, “COVID-19 testing will be with us well past the pandemic, and ensuring that health care professionals have a simple, reliable testing solution is imperative. Our nasal swab test is simple to use, accurate and portable.”

Mr. Irani continued, “It is important to note that while we continue to utilize and apply our diagnostic know-how to COVID-19 tests, our primary focus remains the validation and commercialization of our InFoods® diagnostic platform. We believe that InFoods® is a revolutionary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other gastrointestinal diseases and we continue to work tirelessly to bring these products to market.”

The Biomerica COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test is intended to identify people who are currently infected and who should quarantine to help prevent the spread of the disease. No lab equipment is necessary to process the test or read the tests results.

This test uses lateral flow technology, making it a reliable and familiar format for mass testing by healthcare providers. In independent testing at clinics in three different countries outside of the U.S., the Biomerica COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test demonstrated an overall performance of 92.5% positive agreement (sensitivity) and 100.0% negative agreement (specificity) as compared to lab-based molecular PCR tests.

The Biomerica COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test was engineered for near-patient, point-of-care settings. A simple nasal swab is used to collect specimens from people suspected of having an active infection. Patient samples should be tested immediately and should not be diluted or used with viral transport media or frozen specimens. The test Is CE marked and targeted for use outside the United States.

Source: Company Press Release