French companies launch production phase of saliva-based COVID-19 screening test

A consortium of three French companies launched the production phase of EasyCov, a saliva-based COVID-19 screening test, which it hopes to release in the market by June this year. The test, which uses less than 1 ml of a patient's saliva, gives readings in under an hour.

Paris (France): A French consortium on Monday announced the launch of the production phase of EasyCov, a saliva-based screening test for the detection of COVID-19.

The saliva-based test that can be used via colorimetric readings in under an hour, an official release said.

As part of the test, a healthcare professional collects less than 1 ml of saliva from under a patient's tongue, following which the sample is deposited in two tubes heated to 65°. The colorimetric reading then screens the patient for the presence of coronavirus.

"EasyCov is an innovation that was developed and fine-tuned in record time. I firmly believe that it will be a disruptive force in the fight against COVID-19," Franck Molina, a researcher at the CNRS and director of Sys2Diag laboratory, was quoted by the release.

The consortium, consisting of French companies SKILLCELL, the CNRS SYS2DIAG laboratory, and VOGO, said that there already existed an efficient and reliable development, manufacture and distribution chain to prepare the swift deployment of the test.

The companies aim to release EasyCov into the French market from mid-June this year, the release said.

"EasyCov has all the necessary features to make it an integral part of lockdown-easing measures in France and Europe, and as early as June this year," SKILLCELL CEO Alexandra Prieux was quoted.

In parallel to the clinical trial, the release stated that the companies are also working on developing a digital solution that upon user consent, can automate results analysis.

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