Ortho Clinical Diagnostics announced that it received a nearly $12.9 million award from BARDA to support the development of its COVID-19 antigen test. Raritan, N.J.-based Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) are working together under a new contract as part of the government’s ongoing COVID-19 medical countermeasure development efforts, according […]
Genomics/Molecular Diagnostics
MedTech 100 roundup: Stagnant week for industry
Medtech stocks made a run at a new peak over the past week, but ultimately remained mostly unchanged from the previous seven days. MassDevice’s MedTech 100 Index — which includes stocks of the world’s largest medical device companies — finished last week at 89.3 (Sep. 18), marking a 0.3% gain from the 89.03 points registered at […]
CVS to double drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) announced today that it plans to add more than 2,000 new COVID-19 drive-thru test sites at select locations around the U.S. Currently, CVS manages the largest number of independently run COVID-19 test sites in the country, according to a news release. It expects that the 2,000 new locations will just about double its […]
Quest lets consumers order COVID-19 tests online
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) today announced that consumers will be able to order one of its COVID-19 diagnostics online and collect the specimen at home, without visiting a doctor’s office. QuestDirect Active Infection is also available by drive-through at more than 500 Walmart Neighborhood Market locations. Results are interpreted by a physician and provided digitally through the […]
Illumina may buy back Grail
Illumina (NSDQ:ILMN) may acquire Grail for more than $8 billion — four years after it spun out the cancer detection startup. That’s according to a Bloomberg report out yesterday, which cited people familiar with the matter. Analysts told Bloomberg that the acquisition would put Illumina — a giant in the DNA sequencing space — in direct […]
Report: BD investigating false-positive COVID-19 test results
Reports today say that Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) is investigating false-positive results from its COVID-19 tests in nursing homes. The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that the company is probing reports of false positives from assays analyzed through its handheld, point-of-care Veritor Plus system. A Becton Dickinson spokesperson confirmed that the company is aware that a […]
Siemens, CDC team on standardizing COVID-19 antibody assays
Siemens Healthineers (ETR:SHL) announced today that it is collaborating with the CDC and the JRC on a project to standardize COVID-19 assays. The collaboration with the CDC and Europe’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is slated to develop a novel process for standardizing the SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests as they differ among manufacturers and currently can’t e analytically […]
Hologic launches $950M private offering
Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) announced today that it launched a private offering worth $950 million in senior notes due in 2029. Marlborough, Mass.-based Hologic said in a news release that it plans to use the proceeds collected from the offering, along with available cash, to refinance its existing 4.375% senior unsecured notes due in 2025, with current cash […]
MedTech 100 roundup: Stocks brought back down again
A week after topping pre-pandemic highs, the medtech industry’s stocks were brought back down to earth in quick fashion. MassDevice’s MedTech 100 Index — which includes stocks of the world’s largest medical device companies — finished last week at 89.03 (Sep. 11), marking a -0.3% dip from the 89.29 points registered at the end of the […]
COVID-19 antibody test shows promise in NIH-funded study
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin are touting an accurate antibody test for COVID-19 with lower costs than those currently in use. According to a news release, the test, developed in collaboration with Houston Methodist and other institutions, is more accurate than the standard antibody tests in use right now and can handle […]
Hologic ticks up on raised Q4 outlook
Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) is up today after its financial outlook for the fourth quarter improved from projections in its third-quarter results from July. Shares of HOLX were up 3.8% at $62.22 per share in mid-morning trading today. After reporting a strong third quarter boosted by COVID-19 test sales, the company expected to log adjusted EPS of 95¢ […]