The Biden administration has made a $231.8 million deal with an Australian company to boost availability of the first at-home rapid test for the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 that is available without a prescription. The test, made by Ellume, can send results to a smartphone within 15 minutes of receiving a sample.
The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization to Ellume’s rapid test in December, after it showed 96% accuracy in a U.S. clinical study. Those trials included both adults and children of ages 2 years and older.
In a press release, the company said its contract, with the U.S. Defense Department, will help fund construction of Ellume’s first manufacturing plant in the U.S. Once completed, it will produce more than 500,000 tests per day, according to the company.
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