RapidBio Expands COVID-19 Testing Capacity to 5,000 Samples per Day, Partners with Wayne Health on Drive-Through Testing Site

January 21, 2020 – Plymouth, MI – RapidBio, an experienced molecular diagnostics laboratory with a current focus on COVID-19 testing, announces a partnership with Wayne Health and USA Hockey Arena to provide drive-through collection and rapid test results for COVID-19 in Plymouth, Michigan. The company is using the sensitive qPCR assay combined with highly automated equipment to provide the potential to process 5,000 COVID-19 tests per day and the ability to expand further, with results delivered in 24 hours or less.

RapidBio has partnered with Wayne Health for collection services at the Plymouth-based facility to help serve western Wayne county and surrounding communities. In addition to the USA Hockey Arena site, Wayne Health is providing community testing throughout metro Detroit with their Mobile Health Units.

“This new partnership allows us to provide results to our patients faster than ever before,” explained Phillip Levy, M.D., M.P.H., who leads the Mobile COVID Testing Program for Wayne Health. “The sooner people know their COVID status, the quicker they can take the necessary steps to keep themselves safe and stop the spread.”

RapidBio has taken time to optimize their process and deliver efficiencies with automation in order to meet the high demands for testing in their area as well as to serve as a reference lab for hotspots across the nation by delivering results in 12 to 48 hours from receipt of samples. The SARS-CoV-2 Rapid PCR test utilizes patient-friendly anterior nasal swabs, which sample the lower part of the nostril and are less invasive than the traditional nasopharyngeal swab.  Additionally, they have an active program to validate pooling in the laboratory with the goal to increase capacity from 5,000 to 20,000 or more tests per day.

“We are proud to provide Michigan and the metro-Detroit area with rapid test results during these challenging times” stated John Cunningham, CEO of RapidBio. “We hope by providing rapid results from sensitive assays that we can help businesses and schools open quickly and operate in safe environments.”

USA Hockey Arena has been a gracious community partner by delivering a centralized location for sample collection with ample space for vehicles during peak demand. RapidBio plans to have local employers and schools send individuals to the easily accessible location as the state expands funding to help bring students back to in-person learning and create safe working environments.

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About RapidBio
RapidBio is a high‐throughput clinical diagnostic and reference laboratory located in Plymouth, Michigan. We partner with health care providers, educational institutions, businesses and the local community to provide accurate COVID-19 testing for everyone. RapidBio offers nucleic acid testing for multiplex real‐time PCR for the qualitative detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 from nasal swabs.

RapidBio has a drive-through collection site at 14900 Beck Rd. in Plymouth, MI for COVID-19 testing and works with local practioners for sample collection at schools and businesses. For more information, visit https://rapidbio.com.

About Wayne Health
Wayne Health, formerly the Wayne State University Physician Group, is a non-profit, multi-specialty academic group practice with nearly 400 dedicated physicians and advanced practice providers in 50 medical specialties offering a full spectrum of care, from birth to end-of-life, for individuals and families throughout southeastern Michigan. Wayne Health multi-specialty clinics are conveniently located in Detroit, Dearborn, Southfield and Troy, with single-specialty clinics in Livonia (Psychiatry), Monroe (Dermatology) and Taylor (Ophthalmology). Wayne Health is a proud partner in Detroit’s resurgence, with its corporate headquarters at 400 Mack Ave. in the heart of Midtown Detroit. For more information, visit www.waynehealthcares.org.

About USA Hockey Arena
USA Hockey Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Plymouth, Michigan, opened in 1996. Originally known as Compuware Sports Arena, it was renamed to USA Hockey Arena in 2015 when the USA Hockey Foundation purchased the complex. The building encompasses approximately 170,000 square feet with one main seating level, private suites and press boxes. The design of the arena provides 3,504 seats for hockey games and 4,500 seats for concerts and other events.

Contacts

RapidBio
Matthew Hymes
[email protected]
734-773-1817

Wayne Health
Colette Stimmell
[email protected]
248-880-8881