FIND evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antigen (Ag) detecting tests
SARS-CoV-2 antigens are shed as the virus replicates during active infection, and thus their detection can be used to diagnose current infection.
FIND is conducting prospective diagnostic evaluation studies in collaboration with multiple, independent sites to determine the accuracy of COVID-19 antigen (Ag) detecting tests (RDTs). We are currently busy evaluating assays that have already been selected (Table 1) and the expression of interest (EOI) to participate in the Ag RDT evaluations is now closed.
Test submissions were selected through a scoring system taking into consideration:
- supplier-reported analytical performance
- supplier-reported clinical performance and size of the related study population/number of COVID-19 positive cases
- ease of use of the test (need for an instrument, sample type)
- manufacturing and distribution capacity (especially related to the ability of the company to access LMICs market)
- regulatory status – products with approval from stringent regulatory bodies such as FDA EUA or WHO EUL are scored higher than CE-IVD self-reported tests which are in turn scored higher than RUO tests.
Status of submission to WHO EUL or approval/failure of another COVID-19 test has also been considered for the final stage of selection.
Antigen RDT evaluation protocol summary
Results for ongoing evaluations will continue to be updated on a routine basis (Table 1). Last update: 30 September 2022
Note: Lower test sensitivity has been observed repeatedly in the evaluations performed in the study sites in India. A root-cause analysis exercise, which included sampling and testing parameters, has been conducted and did not return a conclusive cause for this lower performance compared to results obtained at other study sites. It must be noted that all the referenced evaluations were conducted prior to the emergence of the newly detected variants in India, such as B.1.617. A remaining hypothesis, which has not been confirmed, is that the higher temperature and humidity conditions observed in India may be contributing to varied performance.
Table 1. Antigen(Ag)-detection RDTs undergoing evaluation | ||||||
Company | Assay | Country of manufacturer | Interpretation | Regulatory status | Evaluation status | Evaluation results |
Abbott Rapid Diagnostics | Panbio COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasopharyngeal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD; WHO EUL |
Completed: 3 countries India Germany Switzerland |
Results (Germany/ Switz.) updated: 10 Dec 2020 Results (India) updated: 25 Jun 2021 Results – Omicron study (Switzerland) updated: 28 April 2022 |
Abbott Rapid Diagnostics | Panbio COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD; WHO EUL |
Completed: 2 country Germany South Africa |
Results updated: 11 Feb 2021 Results – Omicron study (South Africa) updated: 28 April 2022 |
ACON BioTech (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd | Flowflex -SARS-CoV-2 Ag | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 3 countries Peru South Africa Switzerland |
Results updated: 15 Feb 2022 |
Beijing Hotgen BioTech Co., Ltd. | Hotgen – 2019 n-CoV Antigen Test (Colloidal Gold) | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Brazil UK |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Beijing Tigsun Diagnostics Co., Ltd. | Tigsun COVID-19 Antigen Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Uganda Peru |
Results- Omicron results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Co. | Wantai SARS-COV-2 Ag Rapid Test (Colloidal Gold) | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Ongoing | Not yet available |
Bionote, Inc. | NowCheck COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasopharyngeal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Brazil |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Bionote, Inc. | NowCheck COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Brazil |
Results updated: 31 Mar 2021 |
Boditech Medical, Inc. | iChroma COVID-19 Ag Test | Rep. of Korea | Reader | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Switzerland |
Results updated: 23 Feb 2021 |
Core Technology Ltd. | CoreTests Covid-19 Ag Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Switzerland Uganda |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Coris BioConcept | COVID-19 Ag Respi-Strip | Belgium | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Germany UK |
Results updated: 11 Dec 2020 |
CTK BioTech Inc. | OnSite Covid-19 Ag | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Brazil |
Results updated: 30 Sep 2022 |
Edinburgh Genetics, Ltd | ActivXpress+ COVID-19 Antigen Complete Testing Kit | United Kingdom | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Peru |
Results updated: 12 May 2021 |
Fujirebio Europe N.V. | ESPLINE® SARS-CoV-2 | Japan | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Germany South Africa |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Genbody, Inc. | Genbody COVID-19 Ag Test | Rep. of Korea | Optional Reader | CE-IVD | Withdrawn[1] | – |
Green Cross Medical Science Corp. | GENEDIA W COVID-19 Ag | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 countries Peru |
Results updated: 10 Jun 2022 |
Hangzhou AllTest Ltd. | AllTest Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD; Brazil; UK; Argentina | Completed: 2 country Brazil South Africa |
Results updated: 30 Sep 2022 |
Hangzhou Biotest Biotech Co., Ltd. | RightSign Covid-19 Ag Rapid Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 country South Africa Switzerland |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
InTec Products Inc. | Rapid SARS-Cov-2 Antigen Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD; UK; Germany | Completed: 1 country Uganda |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
JiangSu Bioperfectus Technologies Ltd. | Novel Corona Virus SARS-Cov-2 Ag Rapid Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | To start | Not yet available |
JOYSBIO (Tianjin) Biotechnology Co., Ltd | SARS CoV 2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit (Colloidal Gold) | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Switzerland |
Results updated: 11 Feb 2021 |
LumiraDx UK Ltd | LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test | United Kingdom | Reader | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 countries Germany Brazil |
Results updated: 8 Oct 2021 |
Mologic Ltd | Mologic COVID-19 Rapid Test | United Kingdom | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 country Germany Uganda |
Results updated: 21 Jul 2022 |
Nanjing Liming BioProducts Co. | StrongStep SARS Cov-2 Antigen Rapid Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | To start | Not yet available |
Nal von Minden | NADAL Covid-19 Ag Test | PR China | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 country Brazil Switzerland |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Perkin Elmer Inc. | PerkinElmer COVID-19 Antigen Test | United States | Visual | CE-IVD; Brazil | Completed: 1 country Brazil |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Premier Medical Corporation Pvt., Ltd | SureStatus COVID-19 Antigen Card Test –Nasopharyngeal | India | Visual | WHO EUL | Completed: 3 countries Germany India UK |
Results updated: 1 Dec 2021 |
Premier Medical Corporation Pvt., Ltd | SureStatus COVID-19 Antigen Card Test – Nasal | India | Visual | RUO | Completed: 2 country Switzerland UK |
Results updated: 1 Dec 2021 Results – Omicron study updated: 3 May 2022 |
RapiGEN, Inc. | BIOCREDIT COVID-19 Ag, Nasopharyngeal–1st generation | Rep. of Korea | Visual | Brazil; Philippines; CE-IVD |
Completed: 2 countries Brazil Germany |
Results updated: 9 Jun 2021 |
RapiGEN, Inc. | BIOCREDIT COVID-19 Ag, Nasopharyngeal–2nd generation | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD; Australia; Brazil; Korea; Singapore | Completed: 1 country UK |
Results updated: 9 Jun 2022 Results (Brazil) |
RapiGEN, Inc. | BIOCREDIT COVID-19 Ag, Nasal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD; Korea for export only | Completed: 1 country UK |
Results updated: 9 Jun 2022 |
SD BIOSENSOR, INC. | STANDARD F COVID-19 Ag FIA | Rep. of Korea | Reader | Brazil; CE-IVD |
Completed: 3 countries Brazil Germany India |
Results (Brazil/Germany) updated: 30 Dec 2022 Results (India) updated: 30 Sep 2022 |
SD BIOSENSOR, INC. | STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasopharyngeal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | Brazil; CE-IVD; WHO EUL |
Completed: 6 countries Brazil Germany India Peru South Africa Switzerland |
Results (Brazil/Germany/Switz.) updated: 10 Dec 2020 Results (India/Peru) updated: 25 Jun 2021 Results – Omicron study (South Africa) updated: 30 Sep 2022 |
SD BIOSENSOR, INC. | STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test – Nasal | Rep. of Korea | Visual | CE-IVD | Completed: 2 country Brazil Germany |
Results updated: 13 Apr 2021 Results – Omicron study (South Africa) updated: 30 Sep 2022 |
Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology Co., Ltd | Bioeasy 2019-nCoV Ag Fluorescence Rapid Test Kit (Time-Resolved Fluorescence) [2] | PR China | Reader | CE-IVD | Completed: 1 country Germany |
Results updated: 20 Jan 2021 |
Wondfo Biotech Co., Ltd | 2019 n-CoV Antigen Test (Lateral Flow Method) – Nasopharyngeal | PR China | Visual | RUO | Completed: 2 countries Brazil Switzerland |
Results updated: 22 Sep 2022 |
Wondfo Biotech Co., Ltd | 2019 n-CoV Antigen Test (Lateral Flow Method) – Nasal | PR China | Visual | RUO | Completed: 1 country Brazil |
Results updated: 11 Oct 2021 |
[1] This fluorescence-based test is different from the colloidal gold Ag test that was withdrawn by the company. [2] The company requested their test be withdrawn prior to study start; FIND will not be evaluating this product. |
More information
For questions relating to the evaluation of immunoassays, please contact our Emerging Threats team.
Quick links