Bosch COVID-19 test delivers results in 39 minutes

Developed in collaboration with German biotechnology company R-Biopharm, the test – which has a claimed sensitivity of 98 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent - is said to be the fastest polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test worldwide.

The test is designed for use with Bosch’s Vivalytic analysis device, an automated cartridge-based platform for molecular laboratory diagnostics that is designed to test various samples with a range of analytical methods.

As previously reported by The Engineer Bosch launched the first rapid test for its Vivalytic analysis device at the end of March, after just six weeks’ development. This earlier multiplex test simultaneously checks samples for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and nine other respiratory diseases in two-and-a-half hours.

According to a statement from the company, when using the new test it is currently possible to simultaneously evaluate five samples in one test cartridge, potentially enabling fully automated processing of more than 160 samples a day. Ongoing developments in software are expected to reduce testing time even further.