LAB’S TESTS HOPE
Boss’s plea over fears Scotland could lose crucial kit
Scotland is in danger of missing out on a Covid-19 antibody test developed in a laboratory just 10 miles from Holyrood.
The Scottish Government has been in talks with blood analysis f irm Quotient over the game-changing kit, which is 99.8 per cent accurate.
However, the company in Penicuik, Midlothian, is also locked in negotiations with other European countries and the United States.
NHS Scotland faces losing out on one of the firm’s 12 testing machines unless a deal can be struck soon.
Quotient claims its world-leading diagnostics system can deliver 3000 results which tell whether someone has had coronavirus and is unlikely to catch it again or infect others.
Antibody tests have been described as “game-changing” by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The UK Government last week announced it had bought 10 m i l l ion k i t s f rom Swi s s pharmaceutical p giant Roche and an US- based Abbott, which will w be used south of the Border.
But whi le the Scott ish Government G has held talks with Quotient, Q officials are yet to sign a contract, despite a limited number n of testing machines being b available.
Opposition politicians yesterday y urged Health Secretary S Jeane Freeman to make m a quick decision on whether w to place an order.
It comes as 16 more hospital ppatients who tested positive for CCovid-19 died, taking the total to 2261 deaths in Scotland by that mmeasure. Official figures also confirmed 15,041 people have had the virus, an increase of 72 from Friday.y
Quotient’s chief operatingerating officer Ed Farrell has said ordersrs for the “scarce resource” are filling up fast, with talks under way in severall countries.
He added: “Thisis real ly is a homegrown thing foror Scotland – the project’s lead scientistst has a PhD from Glasgow and almostt all of our lab people graduateded from Scottish universities.s.
“We have a base inn Switzerland but we trace our roots back to 1990 when we were partart of the Scottish Nationalnal Blood Transfusionon Service. This team wouldould be so proud if our productduct was used in Scotlandnd to help with the Covid-id-19 response. I have relativesatives working in the NHS in EdiEdinburgh and I’d love for it to be used here. But if other people want totobbuy from us, we need to help them too.
“We have 12 of theseth instrumentsments available at thet moment and we’re in discussionsdiscu with labs in France, SpSpain and in the US. We’ve alrealready sold to a private lab in London. L
“I’d describe it as a scarce resource so we neneed people to move relativerelatively quickly if they want to adopta this technology.
“We have another 220 on order but it’ll be four monthsmonth before we have them.”
Quotient’s Quot kit ex ami ne s blood for Covid-19 antibodies. Samples are placed into cartridges and fed through a computer loaded with software which has the ability to process results every 24 seconds.
After an initial start-up time of around 35 minutes, one machine can deliver 3000 results a day.
So far, the only NHS Covid-19 tests available are procedures to check if someone currently has the virus.
Farrell added: “We’ve performed our first level of evaluation with the Scottish Government. The initial verbal report back was that they thought it was a very good product.
“We recognise that everybody is busy and this is an unprecedented crisis – we’re keen not to put extra pressure on people. All I can say is that
we’re here and want to help.” The firm estimated that two machines could test everyone in Scotland within a year and can be installed within five days.
Identifying who has Covid-19 antibodies could help ease social distancing by establishing who is at least risk of catching or spreading the virus.
Farrell added: “I believe the World Health Organisation and other bodies will say antibodies most likely provide a level of immunity.
“Antibody testing will be critical for getting people back to work. It’ll give them confidence to be in close proximity without being at risk of making themselves or others ill.”
Quotient’s system cost more than £ 300million to develop and was initially made to analyse blood to ensure it was safe for transfusions.
Farrell’s team then worked “day and night” to design the additional tools needed for Covid-19 analysis.
He was unable to say what the exact cost would be, claiming several payment options are under consideration.
But he added: “We want to be in a range that isn’t taking advantage of the situation. We’re planning to be competitive with the price.”
The SNP’s Midlothian MP Owen Thompson backed the system. He said: “I’ve had some interactions with Quotient and the fact that it has managed to develop this test is fantastic and shows the strength of
ability of the science that is taking place in Scotland.
“I’m hopeful it is successful in getting its test taken on board in Scotland and, if it is progressing well with the Scottish Government, that’s encouraging.”
The coronavirus death toll in the UK hit 36,393 yesterday after 351 more people died. But NHS England’s medical director Prof Stephen Powis cautioned people against using antibody tests being sold by some retailers.
Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “We need a comprehensive testing regime in place for both health and care staff and the general public.
“That means both testing to discover who has the virus now but also securing antibody tests to find out who has had it in the past. The Scottish Government must act to ensure these tests are ready and available for those who need them.”
Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon added: “It’s fantastic to have Scottish scientists working at the forefront of this technology and, as Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman needs to decide whether we want this testing system before it is no longer available.
“In England, there is an antibody testing programme being rolled out – it’s reasonable to ask why is the same not happening in Scotland.”
Superdrug became the first High Street retailer to offer a kit priced at £ 69, where blood samples s are sent to a lab. Antibodies s are made by our body as it t learns to fight an infection.
Having antibodies does not ot automatically mean you cannot not get sick or harbour the virus and pass it on but the vast majority rity of viruses follow this pattern. n.
A Scott ish Government ent spokeswoman said: “Health alth Protection Scotland, with key partners, is assessing antibody body tes t s f rom a numberr of organisations in order to identify ntify which will work best in Scotland. land.
“This work is progressing rapidly apidly and we will set out our next steps on utilising antibody tests in the near future.”