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Oxford Immunotec to supply TB diagnostic tests to china to aid in coronavirus crisis

pharmafile | January 23, 2020 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing China, Oxford Immunotec Global, Wuhan, coronavirus, pharma 

As fears rise over the impact and spread of Chinese coronavirus following news of a rising death toll and the first case occurring in US borders, Oxford Immunotec Global has announced its plan to supply tuberculosis diagnostic tests to mainland China in an attempt to aid in identifying cases of the mysterious new disease.

The company’s T-SPOT test is to be donated on a scale valued at CNY 3,000,000 in order to coincide with World Tuberculosis Day, delivered to hospitals throughout China.

As a respiratory disease, the Wuhan coronavirus displays symptoms which can be easily mistaken for other respiratory conditions, including a sore throat, dry cough, fatigue and fever. If TB can be discounted from the equation early, it is hoped that patient diagnosis and outcomes can be improved.

The T-SPOT test has been approved in China since 2010, with the company saying it had become “a critical aid in the diagnosis of TB infection” in the country.

Professor Mou Xiangdong, Director of Respiratory and Critical Care Department, Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, commented on the plan: “We would like to thank Oxford Immunotec for their commitment to the Chinese people. As symptoms of some infections may be similar to TB, this test will help us differentiate these illnesses with greater accuracy during epidemic seasons.”

Matt Fellows

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