Euroimmun has obtained the CE mark for its EURORealTime SARS-CoV2/Influenza A/B diagnostic, a test that differentiates between the coronavirus and the common flu viruses.

The PerkinElmer subsidiary’s polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test uses throat swab samples from patients with serious symptoms to differentiate between SARS-CoV-2, and influenza A and influenza B. The assay runs on common real-time PCR equipment and includes software used to evaluate the test results.

“As the flu season overlaps with the second wave of COVID-19, there is an increasing need to be able to quickly distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza infections,” said Wolfgang Schlumberger, CEO of Euroimmun. “Individuals with these viral diseases can present with very similar symptoms, which makes it difficult to differentiate between them.”