Becton Dickinson (BD) said it plans to submit a novel coronavirus diagnostic test this week for emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
BD is one of a number of diagnostics developers that have met with the White House on a plan to accelerate the number of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 that are reaching healthcare providers. The plan involves diagnostics vendors working closely with the FDA so that tests are able to receive EUA approval quickly.
BD said the test will be based on its BD Max molecular diagnostic system, which is already in use in hundreds of laboratories across the U.S. in nearly every state. The company is also working on a point-of-care diagnostic test for coronavirus by leveraging its BD Veritor unit, which is already being used to test for influenza viruses.
The FDA has already granted EUA approval to Roche Molecular Systems and Thermo Fisher Scientific for their tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.