Coronavirus: ‘Fast and accurate’ antibody test developed by Edinburgh researchers

Company claims machine can produce 36,000 test results a day with 99.8 per cent accuracy

Quotient's serology machine aims to detect the presence of antibodies that indicate a person has had Covid-19 (Quotient/PA)

A blood-screening company claims it has developed a “fast and accurate” antibody test – and is urging UK ministers to begin talks to bring it to the NHS.

Quotient said its screening machines, which have received European regulatory approval, can produce 36,000 test results per day.

Each test can be completed in 35 minutes with 99.8 per cent accuracy, the firm said.

Quotient is headquartered in Switzerland but said its researchers in Edinburgh developed the tests, which look for antibodies that the body has built up to fight the disease.

The company said it has 12 screening machines, which are called MosaiQ. It hopes to have another 20 available by the end of the year, and has already spoken with interested parties in Europe.

Chief executive Franz Walt, who was managing director of the laboratory that developed the first test for Sars in 2003, said: “We are truly proud to have developed such a fast and accurate test.

“We have strong roots in the UK and want to speak to ministers there so MosaiQ can be used in the amazing national effort to tackle coronavirus and relaunch the economy,” he added.

The UK government has said it is able to test for coronavirus immunity, but its capacity is currently unknown.

The government is also trying to develop home-testing kits. However, there are concerns over their reliability.

Ed Farrell, chief operating officer at Quotient’s Edinburgh office, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all our work here in Scotland and Switzerland.

“We’ve got such a rich history here and we hope we can now make a difference at this challenging time.”

Additional reporting by PA