Thanks to improved software for the Vivalytic analysis device, the Bosch rapid coronavirus test, which uses polymerase chain reactions (PCR), now delivers its results even faster. By applying optimized evaluation strategies, the Vivalytic analysis device can detect a positive sample through its high viral load in less than 30 minutes, right where the sample is collected.
“In the fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic, speed is of the essence. With Vivalytic, we are delivering cutting-edge medical technology. Our IT and software expertise have helped to make the Bosch Corona test for positive samples even faster – all within a short period of time,” says Dr. Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH.
This modified product is part of a research and development project relating specifically to Covid-19, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to the tune of 4.97 million euros. The project’s aim is to expand the options for detecting acute infections of the coronavirus, looking particularly at on-the-spot testing in which the sample is analyzed in a fully automatic PCR process, as this offers rapid yet reliable results.
The turnaround time for samples negative for SARS-CoV-2 is still 39 minutes. PCR tests are considered the gold standard, and Bosch’s rapid coronavirus tests have a sensitivity of 98 percent and a specificity of 100 percent. They are already available in 26 countries, mostly in Europe.
“To meet the high demand, we launched two new production lines at our headquarters in Waiblingen in December,” says Marc Meier, president of Bosch Healthcare Solutions. “In total, we were able to create more than 80 new jobs this year, some of which have been filled by associates from Bosch’s mobility division.”
The new update is available for the SARS-CoV-2 singleplex test and the SARS-CoV-2 pooled test. Updating the Vivalytic testing devices is simple and straightforward – all that is required is an internet connection to access the Bosch cloud platform Vivasuite. Developed in-house at Bosch, the Vivasuite cloud platform allows users to digitally manage and update all their Bosch Healthcare Solutions devices. This is also an advantage when Vivalytic devices are in use in the field. The platform meets the strictest security standards and data privacy is guaranteed at all times: for example, there is no remote access to Vivalytic devices, and no possibility of accessing patient data.
