Becton Dickinson (BDX) : Rapid antigen test for COVID-19 authorized by FDA

Becton Dickinson launches portable, rapid point-of-care antigen test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in 15 minutes, dramatically expanding access to COVID-19 testing.

• Co is leveraging its global manufacturing network and scale and expects to increase capacity to be able to produce 2 million tests per week by the end of September. The company already expects to produce up to 10 million tests from July through September. This is the company's third diagnostic test to receive Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. FDA for detecting COVID-19 . 

Becton Dickinson's test can be used on its existing BD Veritor System platform, which is employed in about 25,000 healthcare facilities across the United States.

Antigen tests are a relatively new type of test for COVID-19 that work by scanning for proteins that can be found on or inside a virus.

The authorization was based on a robust sample size of 226 specimens from sites across the United States, Evercore ISI analyst Vijay Kumar said in a research note.

"We think the new antigen test will play a big role in the coming flu season as a rapid, rule out test," Kumar said.

The FDA has touted the rapid tests as an important tool for combating the pandemic because they can be produced quickly, at relatively low costs, and test patients in a variety of settings.

The regulator in May approved the first COVID-19 antibody test, which is made by Quidel Corp.