French consortium steps up plans for saliva-based COVID-19 screening test

Vogo SA

27/05/2020 06:47

PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) - A French consortium said on
Wednesday that it was stepping up its previously announced plans
for a saliva-based screening test to detect COVID-19, by joining
up with medical laboratory and diagnostics group INOVIE.
    The consortium - comprised of French companies Vogo
 ALVGO.PA , SKILLCELL and the CNRS SYS2DIAG laboratory - said
INOVIE would work on its 'EasyCov' saliva-based testing product.
    The consortium's aim is for the test to be performed by a
healthcare professional, which involves collecting less than 1
millilitre of saliva from a patient. 
    The sample is then deposited in two tubes heated to 65°C
(149°F), and a subsequent reading screens the tested patients
for the presence of the virus.
    COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

 (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
 ((sudip.kargupta@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 53 84;))