Chembio and Integrated BioTherapeutics to Develop POC Test for Ebola

Rapid diagnostic test maker Chembio Diagnostics is partnering with Integrated BioTherapeutics to develop point-of-care diagnostic tests for the Ebola virus and febrile illness, the Medford, N.Y.-based Chembio said Monday.

Chembio will combine its Dual Path Platform technology with IBT’s Ebola regents to develop the tests and will have exclusive rights to any POC product developed under the agreement.

Currently, diagnosis of Ebola can only be performed in specialized labs, which delays identification and isolation of infected individuals, making it harder to control outbreaks.

Javad Aman, president and chief scientific officer at Gaithersburg, Md.-based IBT, says the development of a rapid POC test for Ebola is a critical step that could save countless lives.

The DPP febrile illness assay, which detects antigens from five different viruses in 20 minutes using a finger-stick drop of blood, is currently in clinical trials in West Africa, according to Javan Esfandiari, chief science and technology officer at Chembio. The plan is to develop the stand-alone Ebola test, and include it along with the febrile illness assay, he says.  

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. — Kellen Owings

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