[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] NanoEntek (CEO Jeong Chan-il) announced on the 17th that it has obtained export approval from the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its simultaneous diagnostic kit (FREND COVID-19 Ag+FLU A&B), which detects antigens of both the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and influenza viruses.
Since the symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza are generally similar, it can be difficult to distinguish between them during the flu season, such as in winter, leading to challenges in early diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to conduct simultaneous testing to quickly and efficiently obtain results rather than testing for influenza and COVID-19 separately when symptoms are suspected.
The COVID-19 antigen diagnostic kit directly tests for antigens entering the infected person's body through droplets, enabling diagnosis even in the early stages of infection, unlike antibody diagnostic kits. Additionally, it does not require expensive large-scale equipment like molecular diagnostics, making it affordable and easy to use, which has led to rapidly increasing global demand.
Furthermore, influenza is caused by the influenza virus, which is completely different from the common cold virus. In the United States, 5-20% of the total population contracts seasonal influenza annually, and during major outbreaks, more than 50,000 people may lose their lives. In South Korea, the average number of deaths due to influenza each year has been reported to reach approximately 2,000.
A NanoEntek representative stated that the company is strengthening its related product lineup to respond to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. They also predicted that even after vaccines are developed, it will take a long time for them to be commercialized, and that the use of antibody kits will increase to measure vaccine effectiveness once commercialized.
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