Abbott Laboratories : Gets Emergency Authorization for Serology Test

By Matt Grossman

Abbott Laboratories has received an emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for a test to detect antibodies for the new coronavirus, the company said Monday.

The lab-based test detects IgM antibodies, using Abbott's Architect and Alinity platforms. Antibody tests can be used to determine if someone has had a recent or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Abbott said that the test will compliment the company's already-developed test for IgG antibodies. IgG testing is better suited to determining whether someone has been infected in the longer term, while IgM testing is most useful for detecting whether someone has had a recent infection, Abbott said.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-12-20 0927ET