COVID-19 Tests Created By Watertown Company Allows Hospital To Test Hundreds
WATERTOWN (CBS) -- While many companies are working from home or closing their doors, several Massachusetts companies are ramping up production to help combat the coronavirus crisis.
"What we designed is a test the detects the presence of the virus in a respiratory sample from the patient," said David Raiser from Aldatu Biosciences.
The Watertown biotech company recognized the high demand for coronavirus test kits. For the past month, they've been working feverishly to design and create the COVID-19 test kits called PANDAA qDx, which are now being used in a Boston hospital.
"This week they have been able to test hundreds of patient samples on-site with our tests," said Raiser.
Aldatu Biosciences has the material to provide 25,000 tests and is preparing to supply an additional 75,000 more in the coming weeks.
"We serving an immediate need and filling an immediate gap in supply and access to testing," Raiser said. "We are grateful to contribute something meaningful in these increasingly bleak times."
Working with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health, ZOLL Medical Corporation in Chelmsford is also ramping up production to help supply the high demand for ventilators.
Right now, they waiting on more parts to come in to build lightweight battery-powered ventilators.
"We are setting new manufacturing assembly lines here in our facility in Chelmsford," said Jon Rennert of Zoll Medical Corporation. "We are executing a plan to increase our production by 25-fold so we are trying to hit 10,000 units a month to try to meet the urgent need for ventilators."