While the approach has been promoted as a tool for expanding testing capacity, high rates of infection and implementation challenges have led to low uptake.
Qiagen discussed what's in store after a failed bid by Thermo Fisher Scientific, and COVID-19 remained a hot topic on the second day of the virtual conference.
Demand for SARS-CoV-2 testing sent lab revenues soaring while changes in patterns of patient care and regulations that could have impacts for years to come.
While SARS-CoV-2 test demand will likely remain strong well into 2021, the question of what to do with the built-up capacity in a post-COVID-19 environment looms.
With the EUA, LabCorp is able to sell the test kit directly to consumers without a prescription, making it the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test in the US.
Some insiders emphasize the importance of doing rapid turnaround testing of asymptomatic people, while others contend lab tests ought to be the modality of choice.
The new consortium is aiming to make comprehensive genomic profiling accessible to advanced cancer patients in the US, to help inform their treatment decisions.
SARS-CoV-2 has accelerated pre-existing trends towards direct-to-consumer testing, which has necessitated new LIS capabilities, particularly for smaller labs.
The agreement will initially focus on making available assays developed and validated by LabCorp's Covance business, with the first assays targeting oncology.
