NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale University has designated three independent laboratories to perform the university developed SalivaDirect™ COVID-19 test.
The three labs are Access Medical Laboratories, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), and Mirimus, Inc. They will make the test available to people in Florida, Minnesota, and New York by late September.
“After discovering saliva is a promising sample type for SARS-CoV-2 detection, we have made it our mission to develop a testing method that is accurate, affordable, and accessible to all,” said Associate Research Scientist Anne Wyllie. “Our hope is that eventually, every person that needs a COVID-19 test will be able to get one. Our laboratory partners are instrumental in ensuring schools and other essential institutions can remain open and healthy.”
The SalivaDirect™ was developed by a Yale School of Public Health research team that was led by assistant professor Nathan Grubaugh and Wyllie. According to YaleNews, the method is more affordable, less invasive than the nasal swab, and "less prone to supply bottlenecks."
The FDA gave the test Emergency Use Authorization on August 15.
“We are so grateful to extend SalivaDirect™ to these laboratory partners, and because our test does not rely on any proprietary equipment it can be assembled and used in most high-complexity labs across the country. As such, our hope is that many other labs will follow suit,” said Grubaugh. “While we are not looking to commercialize the method, we absolutely want it to be widely available; the only way we will see this pandemic in the rearview mirror is to increase testing in every single neighborhood across the country, regardless of economics.”
To learn about the saliva-based test, click here.
