Denmark-based startup BluSense Diagnostics, with major investments from Taiwanese companies, has developed a diagnostic kit that can test COVID-19 in 12 minutes, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).
BluSense's kit offers high accuracy, portability and easy operation: Only one drop of blood sample is required from the test subject, and no pretreatment such as centrifugation is required, MOST said, adding that test results can be obtained within 12 minutes.
BluSense completed the development of COVID-19 serology test cartridge (ViroTrack COVID-19 IgM / IgG) in March 2020 with the support from Taiwan-based Ten-Chen Medical Group (TCMG) to optimize the detection system, according to MOST. Last week, BluSense had a preliminary clinical verification performed at Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark, with a sensitivity of up to 90%.
BluSense, established in 2014, focuses on the detection of infectious diseases. Its Dengue Acute System has obtained the EU CE.
The startup has received support from MOST's Germination Program, which helps academics turn their innovations into products in the market.
Taiwan-based companies, TaiAn Technologies and Quanta Storage, are main shareholders of BluSense. BluSense's biotech R&D base is located in Copenhagen, Denmark, while the hardware and software center and equipment production are located in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
BluSense's BluBox portable medical detection platform is based on a Blu-ray Disc drive, with micro-channel biological detection disc ViroTrack, which is convenient to carry and operate at airports, ports and in other frontline epidemic prevention situations, MOST said.