Suppliers expect DIY Covid test kits to take off amid heightened demand for mass testing
Orders for such equipment expected to go up as Singapore looks to resume more activities; entry into do-it-yourself space a way to stand out in crowded market, says one supplier
Singapore
SUPPLIERS of Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits are eyeing an entry into the DIY (do-it-yourself) test kit market ahead of a surge in demand for mass testing at workplaces and high-traffic locations.
They expect demand for DIY kits to increase as Singapore looks to safely resume more economic activities.
These DIY kits, which are already in use in places such as South Korea, the United States and Europe, will be available at pharmacies in Singapore soon, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 31. The DIY kits are said to be quick and simple to use, and return results in about 30 minutes. However, they are less accurate than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test which usually takes a day or two to process.
The flurry of activity comes as Enterprise Singapore on Monday said that companies should test their staff regularly for Covid-19. Those whose staff are not on PCR-rostered routine testing could consider alternatives such as ART.
However, Shanna Tam, director of operations at All Eights, noted that ART would still need to be performed at clinics or swab sites. DIY kits, on the other hand, may potentially be a "game-changer" as they can be used at home or at places where regular PCR tests or ART cannot be done.
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Medical device distributor BioMedix similarly told The Business Times: "The government has not given a clear direction that companies can do their own ART."
Suppliers are thus seeing this as an opportunity to bring in DIY kits as a cheaper and swifter alternative for companies that need to conduct regular Covid-19 tests for staff.
David Cheung, head of operations at Arista Biotech, told BT that companies will need to step up their resources for increased testing, which could become a burden to employers. Arista Biotech hopes to provide a highly accurate, affordable and simple product for businesses to use.
Meanwhile, SPD Scientific, a manufacturer and distributor of ART kits and PCR test kits in Singapore, is casting its net wide. Group chief executive Myra Chung said that besides individuals, the company is also planning on targeting businesses in high-density industries such as hospitality, transportation as well as food and beverage.
SPD Scientific recently received the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) pandemic special access route (PSAR) approval for its SD Biosensor "Standard Q COVID-19 Antigen Home Test", she said.
Other DIY test kits, such as Unison Collective's Panbio and Quantum Technologies Global's QuickVue At-Home OTC Covid-19 Test, have received provisional authorisation from the HSA.
Distributor Quantum is aiming to keep its supply of test kits healthy to meet the needs of the country for another six to nine months, said business manager Ang Kok Ming.
DIY test kits are a way suppliers can differentiate themselves in the crowded market of Covid-19 test kit suppliers. Lee Chee Hoe, marketing director for Singapore-based Sailfish Innovation, noted that the market for test kits is already very competitive, and is set to heat up even more. It will not be possible to compete on just price-point alone.
"Definitely, there's a price you can't go below. The other way of competing is we have to think of how to ensure the user can use the test kit more effectively, which is why we are working on the DIY kits," he said.
Hoping to provide more value-add, Arista Biotech has developed its own app and dashboard to complement its DIY test kit, to help organisations manage employee testing, which will be made free to all Singapore organisations.
Sailfish, which partners Chinese tech companies for tech product development and distribution, is similarly hoping to break into the DIY test kit market. The company has already been working with a Chinese manufacturer, Beijing Hotgen Biotech, to bring in an ART kit to Singapore. This kit has been provisionally authorised by the HSA.
Sailfish is now working with the manufacturer to potentially bring in a DIY kit that uses saliva samples. It is also aiming to submit an application for full authorisation for its existing ART kit to the HSA by end-2021.
Similarly, Camtech said it is preparing to launch its locally manufactured DIY kits by end-June or early-July.
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