US Defense Dept Invests in Australian Rapid COVID-19 Test

The United States Department of Defense has entered into a $231 million agreement with the Australian company, Ellume, to fund the manufacture of its rapid and inexpensive COVID-19 test. Available without a prescription, the COVID-19 test uses a sample gathered with a short nasal swab that is then placed into a digital analyzer connected to a smartphone app. Results are available within 15 minutes and the cost per test is approximately $30. In December, the US Food and Drug Administration granted the Ellume test an Emergency Use Authorization after it showed 96% effectiveness in test subjects ages 2 and older. The investment will enable Ellume to build a US-based manufacturing plant that will make more than 500,000 tests per day. The agreement guarantees that the US will receive 8.5 million tests. Click here to read more.