NanoEntek exports COVID-19 antigen test kits to Italy

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] NanoEntek (CEO Jeong Chan-il) announced on the 10th that it will supply COVID-19 antigen test kits to Arrow Diagnostics, an Italian diagnostic device company.

The initially discussed supply volume is 500,000 tests, with the first confirmed initial supply being 100,000 tests. Plans are in place to expedite the supply of subsequent quantities as well. In clinical evaluations conducted at Ospedale San Martino in Italy, the test kits received high scores with a sensitivity of 96.7% and specificity of 100.0%, leading Arrow Diagnostics to propose exclusive supply rights for the Italian region.

Italy is currently experiencing a severe resurgence of COVID-19, with cumulative confirmed cases exceeding 1.74 million and cumulative deaths surpassing 60,000. This ranks Italy sixth worldwide in both confirmed cases and deaths. The Italian government is doing its best with quarantine measures, including curfews after 10 PM and restrictions on interregional travel.

NanoEntek is conducting export negotiations with multiple European countries following the European CE approval of its COVID-19 antigen test kits received last November, and is currently undergoing the U.S. FDA emergency use authorization review. The company plans to launch the product in the U.S. market without missing the worsening winter spread of COVID-19.

NanoEntek is also developing a neutralizing antibody kit used to measure vaccine efficacy. A NanoEntek official stated, “Although it will take a long time for vaccines to be widely supplied, even after commercialization, measuring vaccine effectiveness will be necessary,” and added, “Since it is essential for deciding the resumption of economic activities through community testing, the use of antibody kits is also expected to increase.”