ender diagnostics launches rapid COVID-19 test.
Bern, May 15, 2020
Experienced entrepreneurs and scientists founded the firm ender diagnostics in Bern. As of mid-May, they will provide rapid and reliable test kits for acute COVID-19.
Ender diagnostics ag, a recently incorporated Swiss diagnostics company, will launch its molecular biological rapid test (ender LAB) in mid-May, in order to reliably and rapidly diagnose acute COVID-19. The Swiss start-up makes a significant contribution to the fight against the current pandemic, triggered by the corona virus.
The ender LAB test is a reliable CE-marked rapid test, that works with real-time PCR devices in conjunction with automatic extraction used in centralized laboratories. The ender LAB test kit recognizes SARS-CoV-2 specific RNA sequences and enables conclusive diagnosis of COVID-19.
The test is the first of three products based on ender’s platform for the diagnosis of acute COVID19. The sensitivity and specificity are comparable to the gold standard of currently used laboratory
tests. However, the results are obtained within only 30 minutes, making the diagnosis much faster compared to other tests. Using it with current laboratory devices allows diagnosis of up to several hundred samples simultaneously. This tremendously increases the testing capacity for acute COVID-19.
“There are many other tests out there on the market. However, none of them combine Swiss precision with rapid results within just 30 minutes as the ender LAB test does.”, explains ender’s CEO Tim Pfister.
Next, ender diagnostics plans the ender MASS test to reliably screen and detect acute COVID-19 in only 30 minutes, without needing an additional extraction step. The test is planned for summer 2020. The test is designed for centralized laboratories and will significantly reduce workload and save resources.
Additionally, ender is working on an on-site test for acute COVID-19. ender MOBILE will be the third product based on ender’s technology and will be available in late summer 2020.
The ender team has extensive experience in developing molecular biological rapid tests for infectious diseases. The company is supported by several private investors with know-how and financing.