Eurofins Scientific Supports Healthcare Authorities in Europe, the U.S.A. and Brazil in their Fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic with Additional Testing Options and Fast Growing Capacity

Eurofins, a global leader in testing and laboratory services, announces that, in addition to the U.S.A. and Germany, as previously communicated, it is now offering testing for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in France, Spain and Brazil with the Netherlands expected to start processing samples shortly. Global capacity created is currently around 10,000 tests per day split about equally between Europe and America. Following requests from government health authorities, Eurofins teams are working round the clock to increase capacity. It is now expected to increase to well over 15,000 tests per day by Monday 23 March 2020 and significantly more by 01 April 2020 as new sites and testing methods are added. In each geography, Eurofins laboratories are working closely with public health authorities and following their priorities to support hospitals and medical professionals fighting this unseen health crisis. 

This week, five laboratories started testing for SARS-CoV-2 in France. In particular, Eurofins Biomnis’ laboratories started testing for SARS-CoV-2 using a test they developed and successfully validated and after receiving approval from the government health authorities. As part of this effort to support Healthcare authorities, Eurofins Biomnis is enabling French hospitals to free up capacity to perform SARS-CoV-2 tests on site at short turnaround times by also offering outsourcing for other infectious diseases testing. In Spain, Eurofins Megalab Madrid also started testing for COVID-19 this week. On 11 March 2020, Eurofins Brazil started offering COVID-19 tests through its Clinical Laboratory Centro de Genomas.

In the U.S.A., where Eurofins started testing last week, capacity is also ramping up fast to meet growing demand. Viracor Eurofins, one of the largest and most recognized infectious diseases testing laboratories in the U.S.A., launched a stand-alone real time reverse transcriptase PCR assay for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 in accordance with the FDA Emergency Use Authorization Guidance on 13 March 2020 (more information available on https://www.viracor-eurofins.com/about-us/newsroom/news-items/viracor-eurofins-launches-coronavirus-sars-cov-2-rt-pcr-test-with-same-day-results-12-18-hours/). Earlier this week, Viracor Eurofins also announced a partnership with the National Kidney Registry (NKR) to deliver testing for Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to NKR’s vast network of Member Centers for critical organ donor testing currently at risk in the U.S.A. (more information available on https://www.viracor-eurofins.com/about-us/newsroom/news-items/the-national-kidney-registry-and-viracor-eurofins-announce-coronavirus-covid-19-rapid-turnaround-transplant-testing-for-donors-and-recipients/). Transplant Genomics has established relationships with Quest and various other mobile sample collection groups to enable patients to have samples collected remotely for TruGraf, the only blood test approved by CMS for surveillance to rule out silent rejection in stable kidney transplant recipients and provide comfort that patients are likely to be immune quiescent.  Additionally, Transplant Genomics is offering access to SARS-CoV-2 through its sister company Viracor Eurofins (more information available on http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eurofins-transplant-genomics-and-viracor-will-partner-to-offer-remote-sample-collection-options-to-support-care-for-kidney-transplant-recipients-during-covid-19-outbreak-301026371.html?tc=eml_cleartime). Diatherix Eurofins, a leader in respiratory viral and bacterial testing in the U.S.A., began testing for SARS-CoV-2 that is the cause of the COVID-19 respiratory infection in accordance with the FDA Emergency Use Authorization Guidance on 17 March 2020. The COVID-19 Panel is part of its proprietary TEM-PCR respiratory testing portfolio and offers same day turnaround (10 hours or less after specimen receipt) results. The COVID-19 Panel includes identification of the SARS-CoV-2 virus along with five bacterial pathogens which are known to be problematic with upper and lower respiratory tract infections. The additional testing capabilities of the Diatherix COVID-19 panel results in overall optimal therapy and improved patient outcomes (more information available on https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/diatherix-eurofins-launches-sars-cov-2-virus-identification-for-the-covid-19-respiratory-infection-301024890.html). Eurofins U.S. Clinical diagnostic laboratories, including Eurofins VRL, Boston Heart Diagnostics and EGL Genetics, are working diligently to further expand their testing capacity in the coming weeks for patients and healthcare professionals. All positive results are being reported pursuant to regulatory guidelines.

In Germany, Eurofins Medizinisches Labor Gelsenkirchen (Eurofins GeLaMed) started testing for COVID-19 on 03 March 2020 and while facing fast growing testing volumes, is looking into options to increase capacity in the near future.

In addition, Eurofins Technologies, a fast growing provider of diagnostic technologies in the field of immunoassays and molecular detection methods, is finalizing the development and preparing to start validating new SARS-CoV-2 clinical testing kits and testing kits for detection of SARS-CoV2 in environmental swabs of surfaces and in food or feed samples.

“As a world leader and innovator in analytical testing, we are pleased to be able to contribute to the global response to the SARS-CoV-2 crisis by giving healthcare providers around the world options in evaluating their patients during this terrible outbreak. A growing number of healthcare authorities across the world are now adopting broader testing regimes to complement social isolation and other measures and rapidly identify, care for and isolate SARS-CoV-2 positive persons either within front line healthcare workers or hospitalized patients only or suspected cases and their contacts in the population at large depending on the country in order to, amongst other objectives, reduce contagion risks. As a Group, Eurofins is committed to leveraging all of its technical capabilities, including in its genomics and forensics laboratories, to support current and future SARS-CoV-2 testing needs as defined by government healthcare authorities and exploring innovative solutions to further increase capacity and the range of testing options available to support the admirable work of medical teams around the world”, said Chief Executive Officer Dr. Gilles Martin.

For more information, please visit www.eurofins.com or contact:

Notes for the editor:

About Eurofins – a global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins Scientific, through its subsidiaries (hereinafter “Eurofins” or “the Group”), believes it is a global leader in food, environmental, pharmaceutical and cosmetics products testing and in agroscience CRO services. It is also one of the global independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, CDMO, advanced material sciences and in the support of clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the leading global emerging players in esoteric clinical diagnostic testing. With over 47,000 staff across a network of more than 900 independent companies in over 50 countries generally specialised by end client markets and operating more than 800 laboratories, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of biological substances and products, as well as providing innovative clinical diagnostic testing services. The Group’s objective is to provide customers with high-quality and innovative services, accurate results on time and, when requested, expert advice by its highly-qualified staff.

Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and a very large range of testing methods.

As one of the most innovative and quality-oriented international companies in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the increasing demands of regulatory authorities and healthcare practitioners around the world.

Shares in Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).

Until it has been lawfully made public widely by Eurofins through approved distribution channels, this document contains inside information for the purpose of Regulation (EU) 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse, as amended.

Important disclaimer:

This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific’s management as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the information available to the Company’s management as of the date of publication, but no guarantees can be made as to their completeness or validity.

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