BARDA partners with Hologic to advance development of Panther Fusion test for SARS-CoV-2, more

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Hologic, Inc. are working together to develop the Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV assay, intended to be able to simultaneously detect and differentiate a variety of viruses from a single sample.

While SARS-CoV-2 is a major focus at the moment, the test would also aspire to sort out influenza A and B, along with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), based on their RNA. Based on the automated Panther system, the test would provide high-throughput molecular analysis capable of pumping out initial results in less than three hours. Already widely used in the United States, the Panther system can process more than 1,000 coronavirus tests within 24 hours.

The Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assay was Hologic’s original effort in this area and was granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March last year. This latest offering represents Hologic’s fourth test supported by BARDA, intended to increase capacity and expand access to testing in the U.S.

The SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests developed by Hologic, Inc. will increase testing capacity and expand access to testing in the United States to more rapidly identify, isolate, and treat patients with COVID-19 as well as those with influenza or RSV.