Medical authority OKs virus detection devices, speeds up approvals

The National Medical Products Administration approved four testing devices for the novel coronavirus in an emergency response on Jan 26 to expand the supply of detection devices to curb the pandemic across the country.

The administration posted the approval on its website, and said it had quickly responded to the outbreak of the coronavirus with emergent approval procedures for related medical equipment.

The four approved products include detection probes and a sequencing system, it said, adding that it will continue to apply a special approval program for relevant medical equipment and ensure speedy approvals without compromising safety standards.

The approved sequencing system is from MGI, a branch of BGI Group that was first founded in 1999 as a research center participating in the Human Genome Project, according to a report by 21st Century Business Herald.

Another subsidiary of the group, Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed BGI Genomics, got approved for producing the nucleic acid detection kit for the novel coronavirus, it reported.

Two other approved detection probes are from GeneoDx Biotech and ZJ Bio-Tech, which are both Shanghai-based biological product companies, according to financial and business news outlet Jiemian.