Beckman Coulter Plans $4 Rapid COVID Test

Beckman Coulter Inc. of Brea said late last month it plans to launch a $4 antigen test for mass screening of COVID-19. 

Rapid antigen tests detect the presence of viral proteins in a biological sample and can produce results within minutes. 

“To test the masses and test them frequently, we need an affordable, reliable and scalable solution,” Shamiram Feinglass, chief medical officer of Beckman Coulter, said in a statement.

Beckman Coulter’s test will run on its test analyzer platforms and enable labs to process up to 200 samples per hour, the company said. 

By contrast, point-of-care or POC tests typically deliver one test result within 15 minutes or four results per hour. POC tests are generally more expensive, around $20-$30 per test.

Beckman Coulter said it aims to make a dent in the current demand for increased testing access. About 4.3 million COVID tests per day are recommended to minimize infection spread and save lives, the company said, citing research from the Rockefeller Foundation.

There are currently about 1.8 million COVID diagnostic tests performed per day in the U.S.

Beckman Coulter has requested Emergency Use Authorization for its antigen test, and said it can immediately make 18 million tests per month.

It aims to deliver 25 million tests per month by March.