We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App





Rapid, Portable, Point-of-Care COVID-19 Test Receives USD 13 Million Funding from BARDA

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 07 Apr 2020
Cue Health Inc. More...
(San Diego, CA, USA), a healthcare technology company, has been awarded a USD 13 million contract to accelerate the development, validation and FDA clearance of a portable, molecular diagnostic test capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in less than 25 minutes using a simple nasal swab. The test is part of the Cue Health Monitoring System, which is designed to be a portable device that can perform a molecular test and connect patients to a mobile health platform that features interventional components such as telemedicine consultations.

The Cue Health Monitoring System enables a range of in-home and in-clinic diagnostics. The system uses a highly portable reader system to test clinical samples in a disposable test cartridge and sends the results to a connected mobile application. The Cue Influenza test cartridge, which is undergoing clinical validation is designed to detect Influenza A and B. The funding, which was awarded by BARDA, part of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the US Department of Health and Human Services, will enable Cue to accelerate the development and validation of its molecular COVID-19 test. This will pave the way for its scale-up to facilitate on-the-ground management of this pandemic cycle and prepare for similar infectious disease outbreaks in the future. The company believes that the distribution of the Cue platform could have significant impacts on the management of the current public health crisis – allowing regular screening by professionals and eventually testing to be performed at home or in the community.

“We aim to help provide a diagnostic shield for people at home, their business, and the healthcare system that will allow us to gain the upper hand against viral threats now and in the future.” said Ayub Khattak, CEO of Cue Health. “We have worked with the BARDA team for the past two years developing and testing a 20-minute, molecular influenza test designed for home and point-of-care use. Our connected platform could serve as a critical tool in identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Rather than waiting days for results or sending samples off to a lab, having test results in 25 minutes could drastically improve our ability to contain the spread of the virus for this and future pandemics.”

“Our ultimate goal is to change the way professionals and consumers access important health information. We plan to equip thousands of clinics, schools, eldercare facilities and homes with affordable, rapid and accurate testing capabilities. That infrastructure would enable on-demand diagnostic testing for families, and in the case of a viral or other biothreat, the ability to monitor a global, connected network producing real-time epidemiological data,” added Khattak.

“We are committed to making rapid point-of-care tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 available as quickly as possible,” said BARDA Director Rick Bright, Ph.D. “Tests that can be used reliability in alternate care sites will provide faster results to more people. Public-private partnerships are essential in providing solutions to curb the spread of COVID-19 now and also to mitigate future coronavirus outbreaks.”

Related Links:
Cue Health Inc.


Gold Member
Multiplex Genetic Analyzer
MassARRAY Dx Analyzer (Europe only)
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
New
Laboratory Software
ArtelWare
Autoimmune Disease Diagnostic
Chorus ds-DNA-G
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Over 100 new epigenetic biomarkers may help predict cardiovascular disease risk (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Routine Blood Draws Could Detect Epigenetic Biomarkers for Predicting Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, yet predicting individual risk remains a persistent challenge. Traditional risk factors, while useful, do not fully capture biological changes... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The VENTANA HER2 (4B5) test is now CE-IVDR approved (Photo courtesy of Roche)

Companion Diagnostic Test Identifies HER2-Ultralow Breast Cancer and Biliary Tract Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Europe, with more than 564,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths annually. Metastatic breast cancer is rising in younger populations and remains the leading cause... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: An adult fibrosarcoma case report has shown the importance of early diagnosis and targeted therapy (Photo courtesy of Sultana and Sailaja/Oncoscience)

Accurate Pathological Analysis Improves Treatment Outcomes for Adult Fibrosarcoma

Adult fibrosarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy that develops in connective tissue and often affects the limbs, trunk, or head and neck region. Diagnosis is complex because tumors can mimic... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.