Aperiomics Increases COVID-19 Testing Capacity with Equipment and Volunteer Support from Janelia Research Campus
Janelia provides critical resources needed to combat spread of novel coronavirus
STERLING, Va., April 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aperiomics, a biotechnology company deploying advanced technologies to identify the root causes of infectious disease, announced today that it expects to more than double its COVID-19 PCR testing capacity thanks to critical support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus, located in Ashburn, Virginia. A biomedical research facility, Janelia develops and shares new knowledge and tools to advance understanding of how biology works.
"Since announcing our capacity to test for COVID-19, we have received an overwhelming response from medical institutions, biotechnology leaders and others who are helping combat the greatest public health crisis in more than a century," said Dr. Crystal Icenhour, CEO of Aperiomics. "We know that the key to beating back this disease and reducing the loss of life is widespread testing. We are proud to receive support from Janelia Research Campus and know that they share our conviction that every test we run, every moment we spend in the lab and every piece of knowledge we gain from these efforts is one more step towards saving lives and tackling this generation-defining challenge."
Janelia staff will devote efforts on a volunteer-basis at Aperiomics' testing facility to help run and process laboratory tests. Janelia is also lending Aperiomics critical testing equipment and supplies, enabling more tests to be processed to meet the need for coronavirus testing on a mass scale.
"The COVID-19 crisis calls on all of us to do what we can, for our community and for people around the world," said Ron Vale, Janelia Executive Director and Vice President of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "At Janelia, we are adapting and focusing our work to serve the greater good. I am proud that we can share our equipment and expertise to make a difference toward easing the COVID-19 testing needs of Loudoun County and beyond."
When Aperiomics announced nationwide availability for their Xplore-COVID-19™ test, the company estimated it could process up to 1000 samples each week. With this new support from Janelia, they will have the ability to process up to 2500 samples weekly. The company has also been able to reduce the out-of-pocket cost of the test from an initial $250 per sample to a current cost of $99 per sample. The test is fully reimbursable by Medicare and private insurance.
Medical professionals interested in ordering coronavirus testing from Aperiomics should contact the company at [email protected] or 703-229-0406.
About Aperiomics
The only company of its kind and scope in the world combining advanced DNA testing, the power of big data and decades of infectious disease expertise, Aperiomics is revolutionizing the way that medical professionals around the world identify infections. Supported by the National Science Foundation, Aperiomics identifies every known bacterium, virus, fungus, and parasite through deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, using its proprietary, world-renowned database containing nearly 40,000 microorganisms. Helping doctors and their patients identify the causes of infections that other tests cannot identify, Aperiomics streamlines the path to a positive clinical outcome. Aperiomics was named Life Science Innovator of the Year in 2016 and International Start Up of the Year in 2018. www.aperiomics.com
SOURCE Aperiomics
Share this article