Biodesix Partners with Chicago Public Schools for COVID-19 Testing to Safely Reopen Schools
Biodesix (Nasdaq: BDSX) has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to provide COVID-19 testing for teachers and staff. The program, initiated in January, includes rapid antigen tests and confirmatory Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) testing. Biodesix, experienced in testing large groups, aims to enhance public health for educators. Staff will undergo testing at least twice monthly, with increased frequency for those in high-risk areas. CPS is the third largest U.S. school district, serving over 350,000 students.
- Partnership with Chicago Public Schools enhances testing capabilities and public health initiatives.
- Testing includes both rapid antigen tests and confirmatory ddPCR, improving accuracy.
- Proven track record with large scholastic groups, elevating company credibility.
- None.
Biodesix, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDSX), a leading data-driven diagnostic solutions company with a focus in lung disease, today announced that the company has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to provide antigen and Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR)™ testing for Chicago Public School teachers and staff. The CPS testing program, which launched in January, is a surveillance testing protocol and uses rapid antigen tests to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 among asymptomatic employees, followed by confirmatory ddPCR testing. Biodesix was one of the earlier laboratories to join in the fight against COVID-19, offering two COVID tests that earned Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) during the onset of the pandemic.
Biodesix has extensive COVID-19 testing experience with large scholastic groups including athletic programs at Big Ten Conference institutions and faculty and student testing for Purdue University. Biodesix provides the Bio-Rad SARS-CoV-2 ddPCR and the Platelia SARS CoV-2 Total AB tests, which the company developed in partnership with Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE: BIO and BIOb). Findings from studies suggest that ddPCR testing is highly sensitive compared to reverse transcription PCR (RTPCR) tests and can reduce false negative results without increasing false positives.
“Being able to work with the one of the largest school systems in the United States to ensure the safety of its teachers, staff, and students is critically important to our company. Our focus on lung disease and the reported devastation to the human lung by COVID-19 compelled us to step up as quickly as possible to help support COVID testing in our own community, as well as across the country. Making highly sensitive COVID-19 testing available to our educators is an essential component of overall public health and safety as our families return to school and work,” said Scott Hutton, CEO of Biodesix.
The district’s testing program will offer all school-based staff tests at least twice per month, with approximately 50 percent of its teachers per week. Additionally, all school-based staff working in zip codes with the ten highest case counts will be offered testing weekly. CPS and Biodesix will continue to increase testing capacity as additional grades and staff phase in. CPS is the third largest school district in the United States with 642 schools and more than 350,000 students.
About Biodesix
Biodesix is a leading diagnostic company with a focus in lung disease. The Company develops diagnostic tests addressing important clinical questions by combining multi-omics through the power of artificial intelligence. Biodesix is the first company to offer six non-invasive tests for patients with diseases of the lung. Biodesix launched the SARS-CoV-2 ddPCR™ test and the Platelia SARS-CoV-2 Total Ab in response to the global pandemic and virus that impacts the lung and causes COVID-19. The blood based Biodesix Lung Reflex® strategy for lung cancer patients integrates the GeneStrat® and VeriStrat® tests to support treatment decisions with results in 72 hours, expediting time to treatment. The blood-based Nodify Lung™ nodule risk assessment testing strategy, consisting of the Nodify XL2® and the Nodify CDT™ tests, evaluates the risk of malignancy in incidental pulmonary nodules, enabling physicians to better triage patients to the most appropriate course of action. Biodesix also collaborates with many of the world’s leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to solve complex diagnostic challenges in lung disease. For more information about Biodesix, visit biodesix.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “goals,” or “should,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Biodesix has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Forward-looking statements may include information concerning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Biodesix and its operations, it is possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of its revenues, profitability, outlook and overall business strategy. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in this press release can be found in the Risk Factors section of Biodesix’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10Q, filed December 10, 2020. Biodesix undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
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