Biocartis joins COVID-19 Testing Industry Consortium of nineteen healthcare community organizations

Widespread accurate testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is one critical aspect needed to limit the spread of the disease. By creating the COVID-19 Testing Industry Consortium, 19 companies from the healthcare industry have joined forces with a goal to help inform, improve, innovate and accelerate various aspects of testing, ranging from research to clinical diagnostic implications.

The consortium brings together a diverse group of companies with synergistic areas of expertise, including precision medicine, diagnostics, occupational health, pharmaceuticals and clinical testing laboratories, to help provide clarity and potential solutions to COVID-19 testing challenges. To enhance the goals of the Consortium, members may:

• Share relevant expertise, materials and experiences to accelerate understanding of COVID-19.

• Analyze available scientific and health data, materials and information to develop, improve and deploy current assays and new approaches for the COVID-19 testing paradigm.

• Contribute knowledge gained from the collaborative research by publishing work that will inform the scientific community and general public of the Consortium’s findings.

The Consortium was organized and is led by Bristol Myers Squibb. Consortium members include:

• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

• ArcherDx, Inc.

• Biocartis NV

• Color

• Diaceutics, PLC

• DxTerity Diagnostics, Inc.

• Genosity, Inc.

• GlaxoSmithKline, LLC

• Hematogenix Laboratory Services

• Infinity BiologiX

• Interpace Pharma Solutions, Inc.

• Janssen Pharmaceutica, NV

• Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings

• NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc.

• Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research

• Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

• Syngene International Limited

• Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (‘Takeda’)

Herman Verrelst, Chief Executive Officer of Biocartis, reacted: “We are very excited to join forces with eighteen healthcare companies to help improve and accelerate all aspects of COVID-19 testing. In answer to the high market needs, although outside of our focus on oncology, Biocartis also developed a SARS-CoV-2 test detecting the virus that causes COVID-19, on its fully automated, rapid and easy to use molecular diagnostics Idylla™ platform. Joining forces with partners in these pandemic times, where the need for high quality, rapid and easy diagnostic testing for every patient is undebatable, is at the heart of our mission as a company.”

“To uncover innovative ways to improve COVID-19 testing quickly during this global pandemic, it’s critical that we break down silos and bring together researchers from different organizations with complementary areas of expertise,” said Saurabh Saha, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president, Translational Medicine, Bristol Myers Squibb. “This is just one of the many ways that the healthcare community is working together to help solve the COVID-19 pandemic. BMS is proud to lead this Consortium and we look forward to building upon the important work that’s already been done in this space.”