HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania company that develops and manufactures rapid diagnostic COVID-19 tests is expanding.
OraSure Technologies, based in the Lehigh Valley, is expanding its testing capabilities and bringing 177 new full-time jobs its four Bethlehem, Pennsylvania locations.
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The company also manufactures collection and stabilization devices.
OraSure is developing a rapid antigen self-test that would detect active COVID-19 virus infection without transporting samples to a lab for processing. People would be able to self-collect a sample and read the results themselves a short time later.
The company intends to submit the test to the Food and Drug Administration for "Emergency Use Authorization" to allow the rapid self-test to debut in the United States.
“One of the keys to stopping the spread of COVID-19 is expanding access to testing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “I want to thank OraSure for its commitment to saving lives, not just in Pennsylvania, but throughout the world.”
OraSure is also developing a highly accurate, lab-based antibody ELISA test that would detect prior COVID-19 infection.
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