Novacyt has agreed to supply 288,000 of its COVID-19 polymerase chain-reaction diagnostic tests per week to the UK government.

The company will supply the tests for use by the National Health Service. The six-month contract will begin on May 4.

Novacyt has also partnered with AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Cambridge to develop a COVID-19 testing lab at the university that will look for alternative chemical reagents for test kits to help overcome supply shortages.