EKF Diagnostics to supply collection device for Covid-19 testing

29th Apr 2020 10:59

(Sharecast News) - Point-of-care business EKF Diagnostics Holdings has signed an agreement with Source BioScience to supply a novel patented sample collection device for its growing Covid-19 testing service.
EKF said it was in the final stages of establishing a UK production line for its PrimeStore MTM sample collection kits at its site in Penarth, South Wales, to meet increasing demand.

The Penarth site was projected to produce 12,500 sample collection tubes a day once normal production can be established, with smaller early batch volumes expected to be shipped to Source BioScience in May.

Chief executive Julian Baines said: "These collection kits will ensure that Covid-19 samples can be handled and transported without expensive refrigeration or fear of contamination.

"This is a key part of the testing process to ensure that as a nation we can safely and rapidly increase our testing capacity. We will continue to ramp up our production capacity here in the UK and in Europe to serve the demand we expect to see, as testing moves closer to reaching the government's target of 100,000 tests a day."

As of 1100 BST, EKF shares were up 4.59% at 38.70p, having earlier risen to a fresh five-year high of 40.0p.