Deputy Minister of Science: National Institute of Hygiene Confirmed That Polish Coronavirus Test Is Effective
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The National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene confirmed that the Polish coronavirus test is suitable for diagnostics and its sensitivity is comparable to the sensitivity of previously used tests, the Minister of Science Professor Wojciech Maksymowicz told PAP. He explained that this was the last formal requirement to launch production the new test.
The proprietary SARS-CoV-2 detection method was developed at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań. The institute wants to produce up to 150,000 tests thanks to a subsidy from the Ministry of Science. Production of subsequent batches of tests could be funded by the health care system.
Developing the test took three weeks, the director of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznań Professor Marek Figlerowicz wrote on social media.
According to Dr. Luiza Handschuh from the Department of Molecular and Systemic Biology of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS, the estimated unit cost of the test is about PLN 53. Production of test kits will be possible thanks to the institute's cooperation with three Polish companies. 'Each of them manufactures a component of the test kit', she said.
'This is the most sensitive genetic test that is carried out on RT-PCR devices', explained Deputy Minister of Science Professor Wojciech Maksymowicz. He added that it is a basic and fully diagnostic test used in the detection of SARS-Cov-2.
According to Maksymowicz, so far Poland has been buying foreign coronavirus tests. 'According to the information from the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS, Polish tests are several times cheaper than those available on the market', the deputy minister said.
The declared number of tests produced at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS is 100,000 per week. 'I hope that access to these tests will increase the number of coronavirus tests done in Poland', commented the deputy minister.
To launch production of tests, the institute had to meet a number of restrictions. 'Today we received confirmation from the National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene that these tests are suitable for diagnostics and are highly sensitive. In this way, all formalities confirming the high quality of tests at a level comparable to those currently carried out have been completed', Deputy Minister of Science informed in an interview with PAP.
The first batch of Polish coronavirus test will go into production next week.
Professor Wojciech Maksymowicz summarized that the effectiveness of the test was first verified on a sample of 70 patients of the Provincial Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in Poznań. 'It was a validation, checking the test's compliance with other tests available on the market. Compliance was 100% positive', he said.
The reference centre in Poland is the National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene and studies were also conducted there to check the effectiveness of the test. 'Today we received confirmation that these tests are highly sensitive and suitable for diagnostics', said Professor Wojciech Maksymowicz.
He added that on Thursday the test obtained registration from the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products.
The Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS received PLN 15 million from the funds of the Ministry of Science for the first batch of tests.
PAP - Science in Poland, Ludwika Tomala
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