Firms express optimism on COVID-19 reagent dealBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaiwan Advance Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc (TABP, 台灣尖端先進生技醫藥) and General Biologicals Corp (GBC, 普生股份) yesterday separately said that they have a good chance of being chosen to produce a rapid screening reagent for COVID-19. Yesterday’s announcement came after the institute on Sunday announced that it has synthesized a monoclonal antibody that can quickly identify the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. “Academia Sinica said in the meeting that it has certain criteria to select qualified manufacturers for the test kits. It seems that we have a chance and we will keep in close contact with the institute,” TABP deputy director Chang Chih-feng (張志鋒) told the Taipei Times by telephone. TABP, which focuses on test kits for antibiotics and pesticide residue in food, produces about 12,000 kits per week at its factory in New Taipei City, Chang said.

Source: Taipei Times March 09, 2020 16:01 UTC