New Corona Antibody Test Made in Germany "99.8% Accurate"

Berlin (ots) - Researchers in Penzberg, Bavaria have developed the test for
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche that is being hailed as a "milestone" in the
fight against the coronavirus.

Roche launched the new serological (antibody-based) test at the company's
Penzberg laboratory on Monday, May 4 at a press conference attended by German
Health Minister Jens Spahn and Bavarian state premier Markus Söder. On May 3,
the test received emergency approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
According to company data, the test is 99.8 percent accurate - far better than
other tests of its kind.

"This is not just a regional event - it's an important international step in the
fight against the coronavirus," said Söder. "The solutions to the crisis will be
scientific ones, and this is a major milestone."

Spahn underscored that the test had set new standards in both specificity to the
Sars-CoV-2 virus and the sensitivity of positive and negative results in those
tested. He added that 3 million tests would be produced this month and 5 million
per month in future for use in Germany. Roche said hundreds of millions of tests
would be made available internationally wherever they're needed.

"Tests like these are important to find out what percentage of the population
have been affected beyond the official numbers thus far," Spahn told reporters.

Roche says it plans to invest 400 million euros in its Penzberg facility, and
Söder said the state of Bavaria would chip in 40 million of its own to expand
operations there.

"The expansion by Roche is a great testimonial for Germany as Europe's leading
biotechnology location," says Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) Director of
Chemicals and Health Marcus Schmidt. "With more than 5000 employees, Penzberg in
southern Bavaria is already the Swiss pharmaceutical company's largest biotech
research, development and production center worldwide. We are also delighted to
hear that the regional Bavarian government will further strengthen the greater
Munich life-science cluster by funding a new pandemic research institute."

GTAI Health Expert Gregor Kemper pointed out that Roche's Monday announcement
had been a long time in the making.

"With the successful development of an antibody test with especially high
specificity and selectivity, the investment Roche made in Penzberg over the last
several years is paying off," Kemper explains. "It also shows that the medical
research landscape in Germany is capable of coming up with quick solutions in
crisis cases."

Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) is the economic development agency of the Federal
Republic of Germany. GTAI supports German companies setting up in foreign
markets, promotes Germany as a business location and assists foreign companies
setting up in Germany.

Contact:

Jefferson Chase
Senior Manager, Communications
Germany Trade & Invest
Friedrichstraße 60
10117 Berlin
[phone]
[e-mail]

Additional content: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/74441/4587438
OTS: Germany Trade & Invest