PerkinElmer Announces Production and Availability of Multi-analyte Respiratory Panel in Finland for COVID-19 and Flu Testing

CE marked assay enables the differential diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B viruses, and RSV in a single test

TURKU, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, today announced its PKamp™ Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Panel is now being manufactured at the Company’s Turku, Finland site for distribution in Europe. This multi-analyte respiratory panel received CE-IVD approval in October 2020. The assay enables the differential diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A viruses, influenza B viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a single test.

Rather than running multiple tests on samples, the PKamp Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Panel is designed to conserve resources by testing a single nasopharyngeal swab sample collected from individuals suspected of respiratory viral infection consistent with COVID-19, the flu and RSV. This multi-analyte panel is designed to be used with PerkinElmer’s automated viral nucleic extractor to detect smaller amounts of viral material in samples.

“As cases of COVID-19 continue to increase globally, the availability of this multi-analyte respiratory panel in Finland comes just in time to help healthcare providers and laboratories manage testing demand,” said Petri Kallio, managing director and site leader of PerkinElmer’s Turku location. “COVID-19 and the common flu can present similar symptoms in some individuals, so this test should help detect and diagnose viruses associated with both conditions and ensure individuals are given appropriate treatment when needed.”

Earlier this year, PerkinElmer’s Turku site also launched a dry blood spot (DBS) based test for SARS-CoV-2 IgG using its GSP®/DELFIA® platform, enabling processing of up to 5,000 samples per day. Serological tests like this one detect antibodies in the blood that are formed after an immune reaction to a pathogen has taken place. Serological tests will play an increasingly important role in large scale population screening as COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination programs are introduced, as they can aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection.

The PerkinElmer Turku site has grown production and delivery operations of COVID-19 related solutions significantly. To date, more than 12.4 million PerkinElmer^® SARS-CoV-2 Real-time RT-PCR kits have been delivered from this site to testing facilities in countries accepting CE mark.

PerkinElmer is actively working with specialty and reference diagnostic labs, clinics, hospitals, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical labs, academia, and governmental and research institutes to battle the pandemic. PerkinElmer’s comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 offerings span high throughput RNA extraction, RT-PCR, automation, ELISA, chemiluminescence, time-resolved fluorescence and lateral flow based serology testing.

About PerkinElmer

PerkinElmer enables scientists, researchers, and clinicians to address their most critical challenges across science and healthcare. With a mission focused on innovating for a healthier world, we deliver unique solutions to serve the diagnostics, life sciences, food, and applied markets. We strategically partner with customers to enable earlier and more accurate insights supported by deep market knowledge and technical expertise. Our dedicated team of about 13,000 employees worldwide is passionate about helping customers work to create healthier families, improve the quality of life, and sustain the wellbeing and longevity of people globally. The Company reported revenue of approximately $2.9 billion in 2019, serves customers in 190 countries, and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information is available through 1-877-PKI-NYSE, or at www.perkinelmer.com.