Image: Yonhap News
A small South Korean drug firm has won government approval to conduct a clinical trial of multi-diagnostic kits that can detect both the novel coronavirus and seasonal flu.
Bioneer Corporation said on Thursday the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety gave it the green light for the two kits that can simultaneously check for COVID-19 and type A and B influenza.
It said it was also in the process of conducting a separate clinical trial for European approval.
A company official said they are rushing to export the multi-purpose kit in early October amid rising demand from other countries, according to Yonhap News.
As fall approaches, pharmaceutical firms are racing to develop multi-purpose kits to tackle coronavirus infections and the flu, as both have very similar symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fever.
The kits, if approved for use, are expected to significantly shorten the time it takes to get results, compared with the processing time for two separate tests.
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