NEW YORK – Lucira Health announced on Thursday that it has received authorization under an interim order from Health Canada to market the Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Test for emergency use.
The nucleic acid amplification test provides independent diagnoses for COVID-19, influenza A, and influenza B on the same portable platform as Lucira's COVID-19 test, which received Health Canada authorization in April 2021. The single-use test uses a shallow nasal swab and returns results in 30 minutes, the company said in a statement.
The combination COVID-19 and influenza assay received CE marking in May.
Distribution of the multiplex test in Canada will be prioritized, along with the current COVID-19 test, and it is available to institutions, agencies, and consumers, the Emeryville, California-based firm said.
The authorization "is expected to help Canadians accurately test at home in advance of flu season, keep more people out of the emergency departments, and provide a rapid treatment pathway," Lucira President and CEO Erik Engelson said in a statement.