03/04/2020
Park occupiers Diagnostics for the Real World (DRW) has developed a test for COVID-19 which has been described as ‘game-changing’ thanks to the speed at which it delivers results.
The biotech, which joined the Chesterford Research Park community in 2015, adapted its HIV testing machine SAMBA II to diagnose COVID-19 infection in just 90 minutes, all from its base within the Science Village building at the Park.
Thanks to a $3m donation from the businessman and philanthropist Sir Chris Hohn the machines will be made available to hospitals across the country with the first ten being used in Addenbrooke’s Hospital this week.
The exciting breakthrough in the fight against the virus has understandably attracted widespread media attention with coverage in outlets including Cambridge Independent, Cambridge News, Business Weekly, The Times, Metro, Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Sky News alongside TV news bulletins on ITV and BBC.
The BBC’s Science and Tech Correspondent Richard Westcott met the team at DRW on Thursday (2 April) for a report on the lunchtime news bulletin. The interview, which includes a demonstration of how the test works, can be viewed on Richard’s YouTube channel.
Public Health England has validated the tests which have an accuracy rate of 98.7% when it comes to identifying positive cases.
For more on DRW visit the website drw-ltd.com