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PCR Biosystems increases operations for COVID-19 testing

PCR Biosystems

PCR Biosystems have continued to scale up their operations to ensure the ongoing availability of COVID-19 test reagents

2 Apr 2020
Tom Casburn
Associate Editor

Industry news

PCR Biosystems, the UK-based PCR experts, are continuing to scale up operations to ensure the critical enzyme mix for COVID-19 tests remain available to the UK and global healthcare systems as demand for testing rises. To meet current and upcoming requirements and ensure supply chain security, PCR Biosystems has already significantly increased – and will continue to increase – manufacture of qPCRBIO Probe 1-Step Go and all other critical reagents for rapid and sensitive RT-qPCR.

PCR Biosystems has the capacity to manufacture enough reagent daily for 4 million reactions – which is sufficient for millions of diagnostic tests.

Recent changes at PCR Biosystems include implementing shift-based working for production, assembly and order fulfilment, with three separate teams working seven days a week. In addition, two commercial teams have been fully trained in reserve to provide operational support if required. The company is working closely with customers, partners and suppliers, and is ready to implement further contingency plans if necessary, to ensure uninterrupted supply of PCR reagents to customers around the world.

“These are unprecedented times, and, as a global PCR company, we are ideally placed to support the scientific and healthcare communities in their response to COVID-19,” explained Alex Wilson, Co-Founder of PCR Biosystems. “When the enormity of COVID-19 testing requirements became apparent, we immediately started scaling up production of the critical components. We already have capacity to supply 4 million reactions’ worth of reagent every day – and we have the option to scale up further if needed to ensure we can always meet global demand.”

qPCRBIO Probe 1-Step Go is a universal probe kit designed for fast and sensitive probe-based RT-qPCR. It’s PCR Biosystems’s recommended product for COVID-19 diagnostic tests, supporting the detection, quantification and typing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. All that’s required is the addition of specific primers and probes, together with the swab extract and water. qPCRBIO Probe 1-Step Go is compatible with all qPCR instruments and is engineered for use on a wide range of probe technologies including TaqMan®, Scorpions® and molecular beacon probes. In March 2020, PCR Biosystems introduced bulk pack sizes of this key product, to further support customers in high-throughput COVID-19 testing.

In the UK, public health experts have been calling for mass community testing for COVID-19 to ensure those infected strictly observe quarantine measures. In addition, it’s thought that there are NHS staff currently in isolation who could return to work following a negative test result. While other nations have been testing in higher numbers, there is increasing pressure on the UK Government to follow suit. Indications are that this is likely to happen over the coming weeks and it’s crucial that there are adequate tests and reagents available.

Measures already implemented by PCR Biosystems will ensure they remain able to supply the healthcare system with the RT-qPCR reagents and expertise they require in the global fight against COVID-19.

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