Reporters’ Notebook: The 10 Most Overlooked bioeconomy stories of the week

There’s a five-minute coronavirus test kit now that can be used in doctors offices and urgent care clinics. Abbott Labs has received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), delivering positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes. The new Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test runs on Abbott’s ID NOW platform—a lightweight box (6.6 pounds and the size of a small toaster) that can sit in a variety of locations. Abbott said it is ramping up production to deliver 50,000 ID NOW COVID-19 tests per day, beginning next week, to the U.S. healthcare system. Lux Research cautions: “The test, however, relies on large amounts of genomic material to be present, which doesn’t happen in the early stages of the infection.”

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