search

While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sanitary crisis around the world, pharmaceutical companies are going full steam ahead to develop solutions for diagnosing, treating and eventually curing the disease. The FTD SARS-CoV-2 Assay test kit presented by Siemens Healthineers on 2 April 2020 uses the same workflow as the company’s other FTD Respiratory Disease kits. It can be run in laboratories simultaneously with FTD Respiratory Pathogens 21, a molecular syndromic testing panel that identifies 21 different upper respiratory pathogens.

“With this molecular diagnostic assay, we want to make a contribution to fight the current COVID-19 global pandemic by delivering fast and accurate SARS-CoV-2 testing,” said Sebastian Kronmueller, Head of Molecular Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers. “The Siemens Healthineers assay is designed to help researchers positively identify the virus in less than three hours so that healthcare professionals can proceed as quickly as possible with the necessary next steps on their patients’ triage paths.”

Luxembourg specialist in infectious disease detection kits

The test kit has been developed by Fast Track Diagnostics, a Siemens Healthineers Company located in Esch-sur-Alzette in the south of Luxembourg. Founded in 2007 as a spin-off of one of Luxembourg’s largest medical laboratories, Laboratoires Réunis, the company was acquired by Siemens Healthineers at the end of 2017.

Fast Track Diagnostics specialises in the design, development and manufacture of infectious disease detection kits that use syndromic multiplex real time PCR. FTD assays are validated on clinical samples and detect a comprehensive range of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. They are in routine daily use in over 60 countries worldwide.

Pursuing emergency use approvals

The COVID-19 test kits are already being shipped within the European Union to be used for research only. The company is applying for Emergency Use Assessment and Listing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for clinical use, as well as for Emergency Use Authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At the same time, Siemens Healthineers is expanding its production capacity.

Read more

Entering the European market with ease

29-11-2023

In recent years, Luxembourg has emerged as a dynamic hub for innovation, boasting a robust ecosystem that encompasses a multitude of incubators, accelerators, specialised agencies, investors, and innovation hubs. This thriving ecosystem has played a pivotal role in nurturing and propelling numerous successful enterprises across diverse industries onto the global stage. Top executives leading some of Luxembourg’s key structures explain what the ecosystem offers and why this might just be the smartest and most cost-effective way for a soft-landing and to gain a foothold in foreign markets.
Read more

Pioneering “gamified neuroscience” for brain disorders

27-11-2023

Luxembourg-based company Myelin-H is developing a revolutionary software technology for the remote monitoring and management of neurological disorders. The company’s CEO, Zied Tayeb, sheds light on the company’s mission to make a difference and how a personal story sparked the conception of his startup.
Read more

Accessing the European healthtech market

22-11-2023

Healthtech solutions are subject to rather complex regulatory requirements guaranteeing health standards and protection in the EU. Luxembourg’s national innovation agency Luxinnovation manages a range of initiatives aimed at supporting healthtech companies from strategy development to European market access.
Read more

On the road to personalised medicine

20-11-2023

In 2008, the Luxembourg government launched its Sciences and Health Technologies Action Plan to diversify its economy, nurture health technology innovation and stimulate the shift towards personalised medicine. Fifteen years later, the country is home to internationally renowned biomedical research centres and a growing community of healthtech companies focusing, in particular, on digital health, digital medical devices and in vitro diagnostics.
Read more

Luxembourg’s rise to 2nd place in the IMD talent ranking

17-11-2023

In the 2023 IMD World Talent Ranking (WTR), Luxembourg moved up five spots to the second position. Its new ranking was influenced by its “strong performance” in the development of homegrown talents and access to an international talent pool.
Read more

Resources all news

Fermer