OraSure Technologies announced that it has been awarded a $710,310 contract from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a rapid in-home self-test for COVID-19.
The test would use oral fluid samples to detect antigens from SARS-CoV-2 and deliver test results in 20 minutes.
The contract, which is administered through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of HHS, will enable the company to file for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration in approximately four to six months, the company said in a press release.
The rapid test would allow for in-home self-testing by lay users, as well as by medical professionals, and no instrumentation or trained personnel would be needed to administer the test or to read the results, the company said.
Healthcare providers, retailers and online vendors could ship tests directly to people’s homes, eliminating trips to hospitals, doctors’ offices and testing facilities, which would minimize the spread of the disease and allow people to know their infection status quickly.
