The Sichuan Maccura Biotechnology Co., Ltd., based in the Chengdu High-tech Industrial Development Zone, recently developed a reagent test kit for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which will effectively help to speed up the diagnosis process and control the spread of the epidemic.

Long Tengxiang, biological reagent R & D director at Maccura said in a media interview that with great efforts, a R & D team of the company developed the test kit within a week. Just after the outbreak of the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, the company was immediately aware of the urgency of developing the diagnosis reagent test kit. Before the full genome sequence was announced, it decided to start the R&D program on January 8. After the release of the whole genome sequence of the virus, the team members sacrificed their Chinese New Year holiday to the hard work, and finally, they successfully developed the first reagent test kit for the new coronavirus in southwest China on January 27.

According to Mr. Long, compared with other similar products on the market, the reagent test kit developed by Maccura have four advantages: high accuracy, strong security, short detection time, as well as wide range of application.

Now, the company is stepping up its clinical trials and is making active preparations for the registration with the China National Medical Products Administration. Once approved, it can generate a production capacity for 20,000 people per day.