Bioneer to supply Colombia with W5.6b worth of COVID-19 kits

Bioneer’s sequencing and array machine is seen at a Colombia hospital. (Bioneer)

Bioneer signed a deal worth 5.6 billion won ($4.7 million) to supply the South American country of Colombia with COVID-19 test kits and sequencing machine, the company said Tuesday.

Bioneer has the capability to provide both COVID-19 test kits and the sequencing machine to read the kits. It asserts to be the only Korean firm with such total-solution capacity.

Under the new deal, Bioneer will provide 5 billion won worth of COVID-19 kits and 600 million won worth of machinery to Colombia in the month of July.

This is an additional deal the company forges with Colombia, after the 2 billion won worth of order from the country in the second quarter of 2020.

Bioneer’s molecular diagnostics system ExiStation is an automated system of a nucleic acid extraction device coupled with an RT-PCR device.

ExiStation has had a high rate of second and third purchases, amounting to over 100 sales of machines in July alone. Correspondingly, the kits are also experiencing a sales boost, Bioneer said.

A Bioneer official said that the orders from countries preparing for a second wave of infections is prompting the company to operate its second plant.

Bioneer has shipped COVID-19 test kits and machines to over 60 countries. It has CE-IVD and List A certifications for the test kits.

Meanwhile,the World Health Organization said that there may not be a silver bullet for COVID-19 and the world may have to prepare for an even more prolonged pandemic.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)