Seegene Inc., a leading molecular diagnostics firm said its German subsidiary, Seegene Germany GmbH is taking part in the government's Back-to-School program called the "Lolli-Test," a starting point in returning our daily lives back to normalcy. Under the program, Seegene Germany GmbH will be supplying COVID-19 diagnostic tests to laboratories, in business with the federal government, worth up to 19.3 million Euros.

The deal states that Seegene Germany GmbH contribute COVID-19 diagnostic tests to laboratories weekly for nine weeks starting May until before the start of the summer break. The diagnostic tests will then be sent to some 400 laboratories in the North Rhine-Westphalia region to test over 734,000 pupils at 3,764 elementary and special schools.

Three of Seegene's COVID-19 diagnostic, the 'AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay1' 'AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2/FluA/FluB/RSV Assay2' and 'AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Assay3' will be used for the program.

The 'Allplex? SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can detect a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants. Those variants include B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and B1.1.207. With UK variant still being reported as the most dominant of COVID-19 variant, it is largely anticipated that the variant diagnostic test will be mainly used for the program.

The 'Allplex? SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay,' can also be used in conjunction with 'Allplex? RV Essential Assay' a one-step assay for screening a total of 17 target causative viruses for respiratory infections. It's an ideal way of screening coronavirus genes as the pandemic continues to rage after being coupled with a number of contagious variants. The variant diagnostic test has acquired CE-IVD mark in March and was first exported to European countries and Chile last month.

Other diagnostic tests, the 'Allplex? SARS-CoV-2/FluA/FluB/RSV Assay' is a real-time PCR assay that can simultaneously detect and differentiate eight target genes, including Flu A, Flu B, RSV A/B and three different target genes of COVID-19 (S gene, RdRP gene and N gene). The multiplex assay can be used to differentiate individuals with common flu and COVID-19, both of which show identical symptoms fever and cough.

Seegene's 'AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Assay' can detect a total of five targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) and an exogenous control (entire process control in a single reaction tube, allowing accurate results and maximize throughput for high volume testing. Such diagnostic test is critical in precisely detecting the existence of coronavirus, especially as new variants continue to emerge worldwide.

Ho Yi, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Seegene said through the program, it hopes to fully back German government's push to return to normalcy starting with schools. He added that Germany's project become a model for other economies around the world and Seegene will help governments get back to pre-COVID-19 life.