Published: 23:35, April 16, 2020 | Updated: 04:36, June 6, 2023
Singapore firms ramp up COVID-19 PCR and rapid test kits production
By chinadailyhk.com

A technician works on the rigorous testing of the test kits at JNMedsys lab in Singapore in this undated photo. (Provided to China Daily)

Two Singaporean firms -- Camtech Diagnostics Pte Ltd and JN Medsys -- have obtained provisional authorization from the Health Sciences Authority, the Singapore authority regulating health products, for two COVID-19 test kits.

Camtech Diagnostics is the research and product development arm of Camtech Holdings Pte Ltd, a local technology company. Camtech is also an investor in JN Medsys, a local life science firm.

Camtech Diagnostics’ COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Qualitative Screening Test detects for the antibodies immunoglobulin M (lgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum, plasma and whole blood of those infected with COVID-19. The test provides results in 10 minutes without specialized equipment or laboratory-trained personnel.

This makes it a quick and easy tool for assisting in the screening and identification of asymptomatic carriers during this COVID-19 outbreak, although it should not be used for confirmatory testing, or as the sole basis of a diagnosis.

JN Medsys’ test kit -- COVID-19 RT-qPCR Kit -- is a nucleic acid test that detects for the virus that causes COVID-19. The PCR Kit identifies the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus isolated from infected patient samples using the reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. It utilizes the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol, detecting three targets on the virus genes to test for COVID-19 infection. 

The RT-PCR method is known as the gold standard method for its high sensitivity and specificity to identify the virus even at low copies. The test results can be obtained within two hours, with an accuracy of more than 95 percent.

In addition to HSA’s provisional license, JN Medsys has obtained approval for the PCR Kit from the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines, and is in the process of obtaining approval from the US FDA. The PCR kits have been clinically validated in Singapore and abroad. 

Dr Kuok Meng Han (right), managing director of Camtech Diagnostics Pte Ltd, and Dr Johnson Ng, CEO of JN Medsys Pte Ltd, pose for a photo. (Provided to China Daily)

Dr Kuok Meng-Han, founder and managing director of Camtech, said, “The current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the urgent requirement of various countries globally for diagnostic tests to identify the presence of the virus and antibodies in the blood.” 

Dr Johnson Ng, chief executive officer of JN Medsys, said, “Digital PCR is already a core product for our existing business, and we have now extended our business line to PCR Kits to cater to worldwide demand.”

“We have deployed these PCR Kits to China, Malaysia and Indonesia, and will be distributing them to ASEAN, Europe and South America soon,” Ng said.