How Abbott Became a Leader for COVID-19 Testing

Diagnostic companies across the world have stepped up over the past couple months to bring much-needed testing to the COVID-19 frontlines. But Abbott has emerged as a leading test maker in this battle as the company has launched three COVID-19 tests and has a fourth test on the way. In late March, Abbott launched two molecular diagnostic tests designed to detect SARS-CoV-2, one for the company's ID Now rapid point-of-care platform, and one for its M2000 laboratory platform. Earlier this week the company launched a lab-based serology test for the detection of the antibody IgG, and CEO Robert Ford says the company is close to launching another lab-based serology test, this one designed to detect the IgM antibody. While molecular testing detects whether someone currently has the virus, antibody tests determine if someone was previously infected. The company intends to ship 4 million IgG antibody tests in April, ramping up capacity to 20 million tests a month in June and beyond, said Ford, who is just 16 days into his new position as Abbott's CEO. "Our biggest motivation on the testing aspect here, the key driver here, is we want to help people," Ford said Thursday during Abbott's first-quarter earnings call. "We want to help people get tested, we want to help society move forward, we want to help workers get back to work, people get back to schools, etc. When you look at the diagnostic platform, the suite of platforms and products ...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: COVID-19 IVD Source Type: news