Valenzuela partners with medical supplier

The City Government of Valenzuela on Monday entered into a partnership with the Great Breed Enterprises Co., a medical supply firm, to deliver high-standard coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test results.

The partnership makes full use of a world-class immunoassay analyzer that would further strengthen the city’s efforts against the COVID-19.

“Today marks another important milestone in the city’s battle against COVID. We signed an agreement to use Abbotts’ Architect test machines,” said city mayor Rex Gatchalian in a Twitter post.

“These machines will run serology antibody machine base tests. The machines are used in the United States and are the 4th generation Eliza platform, the most advance there is at the moment,” he added.

Called as the ARCHITECT i1000SR immunoassay analyzer, Abbott’s Architect machines can process 130 serology tests (antibody tests) an hour from the two machines.

These machines will run serology antibody machine base tests. The machines are used in the United States and are the 4th generation Eliza platform, the most advance there is at the moment.

To use Abbott’s Architect laboratory instruments, blood samples are drawn from individuals and loaded to the instrument to run and detect whether IgG antibodies and IgM for SARS-CoV-2 are present in the blood of the individuals.

“The Valenzuela machines are unique because we will be the launch customer for both testing IgG and IgM. The ones in the country right now only tests for IgG. These are different from the antibody rapid tests because these are testing for antibodies by machine so there are more controls,” said Gatchalian.

Compared to the rapid test kits which only have 30 percent sensitivity with the possibility to deliver false-negative results, the Abbott serology testing machines have 100 percent sensitivity and 99.6 percent specificity.

Aside from the two machines, a laboratory information system will also be utilized to help the laboratories with data analytics.

“This will also guide us as to who will need to follow up PCR tests. This will complement our soon-to-run molecular lab. These machines will also link up with the molecular lab through a patient care information system so it’s fully automated,” said Gatchalian.

According to him, the use of the machines will start the first week next month after the staff who will operate them completed their training.

The FDA-approved Abbott serology testing machines are also used by the governments in Canada, USA, Ireland, Australia, Italy, Singapore and India.