A Coronavirus diagnostic test kit, designed to allow people to test a sputum sample at home, is to be able to deliver results within a few minutes. The manufacturers anticipate that the development of the kit will take three to four months.
In addition, Friday (March 20) morning , the Health Ministry gave approval to Novamed to produce initially 5,000 swab tests starting Sunday, for local diagnostics of the Coronavirus.
Following the receipt of CE certification, the parties expect the kits to be available for sale in Israel before exporting globally.
BATM CEO Dr Zvi Marom said: “We chose to partner with Novamed thanks to their many years of experience in developing excellent at-home diagnostic products. We believe that the combination of the capabilities of BATM and Novamed will result in a uniquely effective solution to address the current pandemic as well as other outbreaks in the future.”
Novamed CEO, Dr. Emil Katz said: “Within two weeks, Novamed will be producing 7,000 swab tests a day, Bezrat Hashem (With the help of G’d).”
BATM has also started shipping a new Covid-19 diagnostic kit developed by Adaltis. This kit is designed for use in medical facilities rather than at home, with the Italian market as the current focus. The manufacturers are preparing to ramp up production within the next few weeks to meet existing orders and anticipated future demand.
Clinical testing has demonstrated strong performance from the kit, which can identify if a person has Covid-19 or other coronavirus variants in under one hour using real-time polymerase chain reaction testing.
Dr Marom said: “This is another step forward in our strategy to provide effective solutions for tackling infectious diseases. The COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the huge challenges that are posed by such diseases and the importance of having a comprehensive response covering rapid diagnosis and treatment.”
About Novamed
Novamed, Ltd is a privately-owned Israeli life science company founded in December 1995. It operates in the In-Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) market from a 2,400 m2 facility in Har Hotzvim science park in Jerusalem. Novamed, Ltd maintains a staff of about 80 employees engaged in research, development, manufacturing and sales.
About BATM
BATM (LON:BVC and BVC.TA) Advanced Communications provides real-time technologies for networking and cyber-security solutions and for biomedical and biowaste treatment solutions via its two operating divisions.
The company’s biomedical division is focused on the development and provision of diagnostic laboratory equipment and services as well as products to treat biological pathogenic waste in the medical, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries. The networking and cyber division offers telecom network solutions, with a focus on advanced software and cyber security, primarily targeting tier-one businesses and governments worldwide.
Established in 1992, BATM is headquartered in Israel with offices in North America, Europe, and the Far East. The company is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. Its technology is backed by strong intellectual property and patents.
Sources: Verdict Medical Devices and No Camels