Effective testing solutions are on the horizon

The good news is that there are testing solutions in development right now that meet the criteria we mentioned in the previous piece.

SimpliFlying is currently producing a comprehensive guide on the different solutions in development for airlines, to speed up the adoption process. However, here are just some that we are aware of:

Air Canada and Spartan Bioscience

One airline which is already looking at mass testing is Air Canada. On July 8th, the airline announced that it was teaming up with Ottawa biotech company Spartan Bioscience “to assess how best to deploy Spartan’s portable COVID-19 testing technology in the aviation sector.”

Spartan Bioscience is best known for developing the “Spartan Cube”, which it says is the world’s smallest DNA analyzer.

According to Business Traveller, testing is done via a “non invasive swab” and the results are back in under an hour - that’s longer than what we think is needed (30 mins or less), but still shorter than other solutions available right now.

Spartan Bioscience’s COVID-19 tests are still subject to approval by the Canadian regulatory authorities.

BioSURE antigen self test

UK company BioSURE is best known for developing a quick and easy to use HIV self-test, which has been available to buy for 5+ years.

BioSURE has now teamed up with fellow UK biotech firm Mologic to develop a COVID-19 antibody self-test. The test itself comes from Mologic, while the delivery mechanism is BioSURE’s and works much in the same way as its HIV self-test.

Quite simply you take a pin prick of blood, add it to a pen type unit and get the results back in ten minutes. This test is available now, and is awaiting approval from different national regulatory authorities.

As well as a self-test for consumers, BioSURE offers a ‘cassette’ version for testing by professionals. This doesn’t need to be medical staff, airline employees could be trained remotely in the use of the tests. The tests have also been independently verified (by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine among others), to be accurate

As mentioned these tests are antibody tests and so won’t satisfy local authorities on arrival. However, they could be valuable for companies to administer to staff - to know who has had the virus and has a degree of immunity.

BioSURE told us that a cheap and quick antigen test is currently under development.

Israeli research projects

There are two quite groundbreaking testing projects in development right now in Israel.

Israeli company Nanoscent has received close to $1 million from Japan’s Sumitomo corporation to develop a scent based test. Viral infections could be detected in as little as a minute, and the accuracy rate is 90%+.

According to the Times of Israel, Nanoscent already has letters of intent with two airlines.

Separately we are also aware of a breathalyzer test being developed by researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In a video, Professor Gabby Sarusi specifically mentions that his machine would be suitable for airports as well as cruise companies.

A single machine will have a capacity of 4000 people a day, meaning that this is one solution where airports and airlines could test people on a very large scale.

Subject to FDA approval, manufacture of the machines is scheduled to start in September or October. Like Nanoscent’s test, Ben-Gurion University’s test delivers results in a minute.

Japanese Saliva Test

The Japanese Saliva Test is the one which caught the eye of the Canary Island Authorities.

Developed by Nihon University and Tokyo Medical University, the results come through in half an hour with no medical staff needed on site. Japanese company Shionogi has licensed the manufacture and distribution of the tests, with the aim of administering them to all international arrivals into Japan from the Autumn.

Other tests, including a ‘mouthwash’

Other rapid tests that we are aware of include, a ‘mouthwash’ style test being developed by researchers from the University of Marrakech.

Meanwhile, the US FDA recently gave the go-ahead for a rapid test from US Pharma company Becton Dickinson, where the results come back in fifteen minutes. Becton Dickinson is looking to produce two million a week from late September.

Two Irish companies are also involved in Coronavirus tests, this includes Hibergene, as well as MyBio, which according to the Irish Times has signed an agreement with German company MoLab to manufacture and distribute the company’s ten minute tests.

Finally, British biotech company GeneMe has developed a 30 minute test called ‘FRANKD’. GeneMe says it is in talks with governments, airports, airlines, resorts, hotel groups and event management companies to distribute the test kits.

Multiple tests will sit side by side

One reason why we’re working on a more comprehensive guide is that no one test and supplier can meet the needs of the industry, due to the huge number needed.

As a result, much like with vaccines, where several candidates are at an advanced stage of testing, multiple solutions will sit side by side. Just as Air Canada has chosen to work with Spartan, other airlines will sign agreements with other biotech companies.

Are you a researcher or pharmaceutical / biotech company with a rapid COVID-19 test in development? We’d love to hear from you, email - dirk@simpliflying.com