Aliso Viejo-based diagnostics firm Ambry Genetics Corp., a subsidiary of Japan-based imaging product maker Konica Minolta Inc., is rolling out a COVID-19 testing program for employers and businesses.
“In February, we came together as a team and took the stance that any company in a position to help fight COVID-19 should,” Chief Commercial Officer Tom Schoenherr said, who noted the program is based on the company’s “comprehensive assessment risk and education” platform for hereditary cancer screening.
“We shifted our time, money and resources to come to market with a unique, easy to use platform to help manage individual interactions and provide smart testing and follow up as needed,” he said.
“CARE for COVID” offers smart screening to determine when employees need to be tested and processes polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using a self-collected saliva sample.
It also provides comprehensive management services such as telehealth consults, contract tracing and health plan integration.
10,000 Tests a Day
The program initially launched in June and has about 36 institutions live or about to go live in the program, Schoenherr said.
Western Springs School District 101 in the suburbs of Chicago and the Green Alliance International, a Chicago-based nonprofit that has been helping schools, entertainment venues and businesses reopen, are clients.
Ambry promises a turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours for tests, which are processed at its 65,000-square-foot headquarters. It has the capacity to scale to 10,000 tests per day.
The company said it has avoided layoffs or furloughs as its repurposed employees for its COVID program; and its cancer screening business is nearing pre-pandemic volume.
