Finnish company Mobidiag has initiated the development of Novodiag molecular diagnostic test to enable swift diagnosis of the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV and other influenza viruses.

Chinese clinical diagnostics company Autobio Diagnostics and Automobi Molecular Diagnostics, a joint venture (JV) firm of Mobidiag and Autobio, are also part of the initiative.

Novodiag assay will leverage a fully automated ‘sample-in, result-out’ system to the viruses simultaneously in around 30 minutes.

The platform, operated without the need for highly trained personnel, enables delivery to high-risk locations suffering from healthcare staff crisis.

Mobidiag CEO Tuomas Tenkanen said: “It is vital that molecular diagnostics solutions be utilised to fight back against novel coronavirus which has emerged as a significant threat to health across the world.

“Our new Novodiag assay will uniquely offer rapid and fully automated molecular profiling to simultaneously detect novel coronavirus and common influenza strains and guide clinicians more quickly towards moving patients to efficient isolation measures and make better-informed treatment decisions, in situations where time is critical.”

Earlier this week, the UK launched a coronavirus diagnostic test to strengthen its testing capabilities. The launch will help in equipping 12 laboratories to test coronavirus.

Co-Diagnostics and Novacyt’s division Primerdesign also launched research use only (RUO) tests for coronavirus. Subsequently, Co-Diagnostics announced sales of its screening test to various international markets.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus outbreak death toll crossed one thousand, with confirmed cases rising to around 43,000.