The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Department of Defense (DOD) jointly announced a $12.7 million contract with InBios International, of Seattle, to expand domestic production capacity for two rapid point-of-care tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid-19.

The first, called the SCoV-2 Ag Detect Kit, detects current infections by identifying antigens of the virus in a nose swab sample. The second test, called the SCoV-2 Detect IgM/IgG Kit, detects antibodies for the virus in a finger prick of blood, indicating whether the person had a previous covid-19 infection.

The contract enables InBios to ramp up production of either or both tests to 400,000 units per week – 20 times the facility’s current output – by May 2021, significantly expanding the nation’s testing capacity.

To support expansion of the company’s domestic production, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Developmental Authority (BARDA, part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response), collaborated with HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Department of Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell and the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition Covid-19 Task Force. BARDA funded the contract under the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

In addition, BARDA supported development of the InBios SCoV-2 Detect IgM/IgG Kit, one of 33 covid-19 diagnostic tests in BARDA’s development portfolio. Of these, 16 have received FDA emergency use authorization and BARDA-supported partners have shipped more than 50 million tests to healthcare providers across the country.For more on BARDA’s portfolio for covid-19 diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments and about partnering with BARDA, visit medicalcountermeasures.gov. To learn more about federal support for the all-of-America covid-19 response, visit coronavirus.gov.