Eone-Diagnomics Genome Center (EDGC), a genome analysis joint venture between Korea’s EONE Laboratories and U.S.-based Diagnomics, gained a strong footing into the Middle East through a contract to supply Covid-19 test kits (DiaPlexQ) to cover 2.55 million people in Dubai, UAE by the end of this year.

It will commit to the supply with its kit partner SolGent.

Under a contract signed with Dubai-headquartered Babirus, it will ship an initial volume of 100,000 tests this week and more kits in 12 shipments over the contract term, the company added.

Babirus works together with healthcare partners across the MENA region to deliver diagnostic solutions for Covid-19. It also acts as a Middle East distributor for U.S. Bio-Rad.

EDGC hopes it can leverage Babirus` distribution channel to advance into eight Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, starting with Dubai.

EDGC and SolGent are cooperative in the supply of FDA-approved and CE-IVD Corona-19 kits to more than 60 countries around the world. SolGent recently refurbished its manufacturing facilities into a more innovative, smart factory under Samsung Electronics` smart factory project, and it has gained worldwide attention for the quality and price competitiveness of DiaPlexQ kits produced with independently developed raw materials such as polymerase.

EDGC said Babirus wants to play a bigger role in dealing with more than 20 molecular diagnostic products developed by SolGent to detect tuberculosis, pneumonia, respiratory viruses, sexually transmitted diseases, and hepatitis C virus, as well as its upcoming multi-detection kit against influenza and coronavirus.

EDGC shares rose 2.33 percent to trade at 13,200 won ($11.64) as of 11:45 am on Wednesday.

By Park Yoon-gyun and Minu Kim

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