SPRINGDALE, Ark. — A Northwest Arkansas company has created a rapid COVID-19 antibody test that has approval by the European Union.
“It’s pretty amazing, I’m really proud of the team. We’ve got about 37 people here or so who are so focused and working 24/7 to get this test developed,” said Kevin Clark, Now Diagnostics CEO.
Clark says he doesn’t believe there is another test like this on the market.
“It’s a test that’s as simple enough that anyone can do it," he said. "There is no other reagents, everything is self-contained. It is literally as simple as you prick your finger, touch the device to it, lay it down and 10 minutes later you have got the result."
Clark says they did more than 900 clinical samples to know they could trust the statistics behind their product.
“When the pandemic happened, we really backed up and said 'is there something we can do,' well, the first thing we can do is build an antibody test. That will detect and tell somebody if they’ve been exposed or have the virus or have had the virus,” he said.
The company is now working on two more tests that use saliva to detect the COVID-19 virus and antibodies for the virus.
In order to develop and validate those tests, they are looking for volunteers for their clinical studies they are doing here in Northwest Arkansas.
Director of Operations, Beth Cobb says anyone who has either tested positive or negative for COVID-19 can easily participate.
“One of these tests in particular that we are developing, and we need these samples to develop that test is an antigen test," Cobbs said. "There is a massive need for this test on the market. All of our tests are self-contained tests and require no external reagents, things that have been in high demand."
Now Diagnostics filed an emergency use authorization with the Food and Drug Administration at the end of May, but their application is still pending. They hope to soon hear back.