(Sharecast News) - Molecular diagnostics company Yourgene Health announced on Thursday that Yourgene Genomic Services had been added to the UK government's approved Covid-19 private testing providers list for the 'Test to Release for International Travel' scheme introduced on 15 December, and also for general coronavirus testing.
The AIM-traded firm also said it had conducted in silico analysis studies into the effect of the new virus strain, which suggested that the performance of its test would be unaffected.
It described the Test to Release scheme as a government-backed programme, designed to reduce quarantine periods for travellers arriving in the UK.
The group said it was now waiting for the government website to be updated to reflect its approval in due course.
Through the Test to Release scheme, passengers had the opportunity to pay for a Covid-19 test through the list of approved private providers, to find out if they were able to reduce the self-isolation period after international travel.
Yourgene Genomic Services had the full Covid-19 testing service offering required to meet the Department of Health & Social Care's 15 minimum standards, the board said.
It said it would "go live" with the Test to Release scheme in early January, with its general coronavirus testing offer already live.
Additionally, following the announcement of a new virulent strain of SARS-CoV-2 by the UK's Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium, known as VUI-202012/01, Yourgene said it had conducted preliminary 'in silico', or computer-based, analysis of the mutations in the new variant to assess the reliability of its existing 'Clarigene' product.
It said that, unlike some other tests on the market, the Clarigene SARS-CoV-2 assay did not rely on amplification of the S gene, where one of the key VUI-202012/01 variants was located, meaning the results of the analysis suggested that the performance of the Clarigene assay would be unaffected by the mutations in VUI-202012/01.
For further assurance, the firm said it was conducting additional 'wet lab' testing to confirm the in silico findings.
"We are extremely pleased to be an approved private provider for the Test to Release scheme to support international travel to the UK, as well as more general UK Covid-19 testing," said chief executive officer Lyn Rees.
"This approval confirms the high standards and service levels we have been setting for our COVID-19 testing partners and in our wider Genomic Services laboratory offering.
"We continue to monitor the evolving situation in order to remain at the forefront of fighting the pandemic, and to expand our capabilities in a way that accelerates our wider business strategy."
At 1129 GMT, shares in Youtgene Health were up 4.25% at 15.38p.
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