May 11, 2020
Quidel Corporation, provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, cellular-based virology assays and molecular diagnostic systems, announced that it has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA.
This rapid point-of-care test is to be used with the Sofia 2 Fluorescent Immunoassay Analyzer for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal or nasopharyngeal specimens from patients meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) criteria for suspected COVID-19 infection.
Sofia 2 is Quidel’s next-generation version of its best-selling Sofia instrumented system. Sofia 2 utilizes the original Sofia fluorescent chemistry design while improving upon the graphical user interface and optics system to provide an accurate, objective and automated result in 15 minutes. The Sofia 2 system also comes connected to Virena, Quidel’s data management system, which provides aggregated, de-identified testing data in near real-time.
The Sofia 2 instrument also offers two distinct workflows: depending upon the user’s choice, the Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA cartridge is placed inside Sofia 2 for automatically timed development (WALK AWAY Mode); or test cartridges can be placed on the counter or bench top for a manually timed development and then placed into Sofia 2 to be scanned (READ NOW Mode), allowing the user to markedly increase testing throughput per hour.
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“In the fight against COVID-19, our employees are truly making a difference, and I am tremendously proud of our organization’s ability to quickly develop and mobilize an accurate rapid antigen test,” says Douglas Bryant, president and chief executive officer of Quidel Corporation. “The EUA for our Sofia 2 SARS Antigen FIA allows us to arm our health-care workers and first responders with a front-line solution for COVID-19 diagnosis, accelerating the time to diagnosis and potential treatment of COVID19 for the patient.”
The assay is currently available for sale in the U.S. under EUA, and Quidel is now shipping the product to its customers. Quidel offers several other Sofia assays for sale, which are FDA cleared and CLIA waived, including tests for Influenza A and B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Group A Strep, and a 12-minute finger-stick whole blood test for Lyme Disease. In addition, Quidel also markets Sofia tests for Lyme Disease, Legionella and S. pneumoniae in Europe.
