Omega Diagnostics inks deal with Mologic over Covid-19 antibody test
Cambridge Nutritional Science
2.80p
16:35 30/12/24
Medical diagnostics company Omega Diagnostics has signed a material transfer agreement with Mologic, it announced on Monday, to formalise a partnership to provide manufacturing capability for Mologic's Covid-19 first generation ‘ELISA’ diagnostics test.
FTSE AIM All-Share
714.56
16:25 30/12/24
Health Care Equipment & Services
10,620.84
16:34 30/12/24
The AIM-traded firm said that the development of the test had been funded in part by the UK government.
Once ready, the antibody test would be capable of playing a “key part” towards identifying people that had built up immunity to the pandemic-causing coronavirus, the company claimed.
Omega said it had provided Mologic with access to one of its manufacturing facilities, which specialises in manufacturing ELISA tests, in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, with both parties collaborating to produce pilot batches and first validation batches.
It explained that the agreement formalised Omega's access to raw materials and know-how to manufacture Mologic's diagnostic test at scale, using Omega's ELISA manufacturing facility in Littleport.
Following successful independent validation of Mologic's ELISA test by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and St George's, University of London, Mologic had now submitted its test to Public Health England and NHS Scotland for formal validation.
Once validated, Omega and Mologic would enter into a longer-term supply agreement, with Omega manufacturing up to 46,000 Covid-19 tests per day.
Omega said it would also CE-mark the test under the agreement, after which both parties would work together to commercialise the test.
The board explained that the arrangement with Mologic was separate from, and additional to, the announcement it made on 9 April relating to the UK Rapid Test Consortium (RTC).
That consortium was jointly developing and manufacturing a point-of-care Covid-19 lateral flow antibody test, which could be used at home, and would be manufactured in Omega's Alva facility in Scotland.
Mologic's Covid-19 ELISA diagnostic test was also an antibody test, but would be used on patient samples sent by hospitals or general practitioners for laboratory testing.
In the current environment, there was demand for both at-home and laboratory-based tests, the company claimed.
“We are pleased that Omega has been able to support Mologic with the development and scale up of their ELISA test,” said chief executive officer Colin King.
“This is another example of the UK diagnostics industry working in collaboration to bring effective solutions in the fight against this global pandemic.”
At 0932 BST, shares in Omega Diagnostics were up 9.33% at 31.16p.