While we may know Fujifilm primarily as a camera company, it's also known as a pioneer in diagnostic imaging and information systems for medical services. With the world currently dealing with the spread of coronavirus, Fujifilm Holdings Corp has announced that it has developed a new test for coronavirus that promises to deliver results much faster than existing tests.
Developed by subsidiary Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corp, the SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR detection kit will apparently be able to test for the virus faster than existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which take four to six hours.
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According to the New York Times, this test will reduce the time of results delivery to only two hours, which could prove valuable in the fight against coronavirus. Fujifilm has said that this new test will be released on 15 April.
This announcement follows the news that a drug developed by Fujifilm has been successful in the treatment of COVID-19. Avigan is an experimental antiviral that's used to treart RNA viruses. It's shown efficacy against influenza derivatives, yellow fever, foot-and-mouth disease and numerous others. It's considered so successful that the Chinese government has officially recommended its use in its response to the pandemic.
On Friday, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told a news conference that the government has had requests for Avigan from around 30 different countries, and is now apparently considering providing grant-free access.
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