In anticipation of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) granting emergency use authorization to two new antiviral treatments for COVID-19, digital diagnostics company Ellume announced that its COVID-19 Home Test (ECHT) will soon allow users to connect directly with telemedicine providers, which builds on the test’s existing capability to share their result directly to healthcare providers. This direct, digital connection to telemedicine providers, currently in development, will help ensure patients have quick access to the new antiviral treatments, which typically must be taken shortly after infection to be most effective.
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“With growing concern about the threat from the new Omicron variant, people are increasingly turning to rapid at-home COVID-19 tests to help keep themselves and their families safe. By combining these tests with the new antiviral drugs, we have a powerful tool that can help better manage the pandemic and provide peace-of-mind to everyone concerned about catching or spreading the virus,” said Dr. Sean Parsons, Founder and Chief Executive of Ellume.
The new antiviral therapy coming on the market will be most effective when taken five days or less after symptoms develop, meaning that consumers need to receive a positive test and be connected to a doctor who can prescribe treatment in a short window. The advanced digital capabilities in Ellume’s ECHT will address this need by allowing users to connect directly to a medical professional following a positive test. Upon receiving test results, the information is automatically transmitted to the user’s smartphone and able to be reported in real time to healthcare providers, or other organizations as needed.
More than one-quarter of Americans don’t have a primary care doctor, so Ellume’s test will provide the option of connecting to your own healthcare provider, if you have one designated, or allowing you to choose from a selection of telemedicine providers in the area. To truly take advantage of new medications, early, accurate diagnostics can help facilitate timely treatment measures.
With its innovative telehealth capabilities, Ellume is empowering consumers with the information they need to navigate the pandemic and the confidence that receiving treatment if needed will be as easy-as-possible.
THE ELLUME COVID-19 HOME TEST:
In developing the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test (ECHT), Ellume took a different approach than many other antigen detection products on the market – one that provides increased sensitivity without the cost, complexity and accessibility issues of a laboratory-based molecular (PCR) test. The ECHT is the only rapid home antigen test that uses fluorescent technology, which provides superior sensitivity and has previously been used exclusively by healthcare professionals.
The ECHT was the first rapid home antigen test to receive an EUA and is one of the few home tests clinically proven for symptomatic and asymptomatic use without requiring serial testing. The test’s swab enables deeper sample collection, offering the best compromise between sample quality and patient comfort. The test’s app guides the user through the test steps and displays the results in words within 15 minutes ensuring easy result interpretation.