BATM Launches Antibody Tests for COVID-19

LEI: 213800FLQUB9J289RU66

5 May 2020

BATM Advanced Communications Limited

("BATM" or "the Group")

BATM launches Antibody Tests for COVID-19 and Commences Sale to European Countries  

Shipping commenced to several customers in Europe and ramp up occurring to fulfil further orders

BATM (LSE: BVC; TASE: BVC), a leading provider of real-time technologies for networking solutions and medical laboratory systems, announces that its Adaltis subsidiary has launched ELISA Serological Test Kits that diagnose if a patient has had COVID-19 by detecting antibodies against it present in their blood.

The Adaltis Serological Tests are fully CE certified and the Group has commenced shipping initial orders to several customers in Europe. It is now ramping up production for larger quantities to fulfil further orders received from these customers.

Antibodies are proteins produced by the body in response to harmful substances called antigens (e.g. a virus). ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) serological tests measure the amount of various antibodies present in the blood when the body is responding to a specific infection, like COVID-19. The ELISA serological test detects the body's immune response to the infection caused by the virus rather than detecting the virus itself - to help identify those who have been infected and developed antibodies that may protect them from future infection.

Adaltis' ELISA Serological Tests for COVID-19 are designed to test for IgA and IgM (antibodies produced within approximately 4-5 days of the immune system response) as well as IgG antibodies (which are produced after a few weeks and stay present in the body for at least several months), which the Group believes enables the detection of COVID-19 antibodies at an earlier stage than with many competing tests. In addition, Adaltis' tests can be conducted both on standard ELISA machines that are already in widespread use in laboratories and hospitals, and on Adaltis' Personal LAB and NEXgen machines, which are pre-calibrated for these tests. Details of these instruments can be found on the Adaltis website: www.adaltis.com.

Adaltis' ELISA Serological Tests for COVID-19 are complementary to the Group's two previously-announced COVID-19 diagnostics kits, which are both antigen tests (RT-PCR) designed to detect the presence of the virus rather than the immune response to it. The two kits include Adaltis' diagnostic tests that are being shipped for medical facility use and the kits that the Group is developing in partnership with Novamed for home use.

The ELISA serological tests can provide important statistical information to government and health decision makers regarding the number of people who have been infected with COVID-19 and developed immunity in the population. Thus, they have the potential to play an important role in contributing to the strategy for lifting national lockdowns and enabling society to return to more normal activity.

Dr Zvi Marom, Chief Executive Officer of BATM, said: "Adaltis, which invented the magnetic bead separating method - a cornerstone in many of today's in-vitro diagnosis tests - has a great track record of delivering rapid, precise and reliable results to help healthcare professionals make informed decisions. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been consistently launching more and more tools as soon as they were rigorously validated and certified by relevant regulatory authorities. First, we produced antigen tests to detect who has COVID-19 and now today we have officially launched tests that detect who has had the COVID-19 virus.

"The serologic tests are now being provided to our customers at a time when they are most needed - to provide statistical information to decision makers. This, together with our other innovative initiatives, will help health authorities in preparing for a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the winter months.

"We are proud of the way our team has responded to this pandemic, and the commercial response to this ELISA serological test that we have developed is testament to the skill and agility of our team. All of this gives me further confidence that BATM is building a world-class diagnostics offering."         

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