Gravity Diagnostics Partners with Kroger Health to Expand COVID-19 Testing with Home Collection Kits

Rhea-AI Summary

Gravity Diagnostics has received an updated Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA for their Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit, allowing self-collection using nasal swabs. This enhancement builds on a previous EUA granted on June 1, 2020. The collaboration aims to increase COVID-19 testing capabilities, targeting the processing of up to 60,000 tests weekly by the end of July. To date, over 250,000 samples have been processed, demonstrating the laboratory's rapid expansion in response to national testing needs.

Positive

• FDA issued an updated EUA for the Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit.
• Targeting processing of up to 60,000 tests per week by the end of July.
• Over 250,000 COVID-19 samples processed to date.

Negative

• None.

COVINGTON, Ky., July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravity Diagnostics, a CLIA laboratory headquartered in Covington, Kentucky, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an update to their Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to include use of nasal swab specimens that are self-collected by individuals using the Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit. This was an addition to their earlier EUA that was granted on June 1^st, 2020. The testing solution combines the safety and convenience of at-home specimen collection with the expert guidance of a Kroger Health clinician through video telehealth visit.

On March 16th, Gravity Diagnostics began processing COVID-19 samples with a vision to bring increased testing to their local communities, partnering with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to serve the healthcare facilities across the state and later with Kroger Health to bring more testing to Kentucky and nationwide via drive through testing sites. This next big step with Kroger Health will allow the two organizations to make a more widespread impact for COVID-19 testing across the nation, through an innovative method focused on quality, compliance, and patient experience.

Kroger Health will make the kits available to frontline associates across Kroger's Family of Companies based on medical need first, and will expand rapidly from there, with a goal of processing up to 60,000 per week by the end of July. Gravity Diagnostics to date has processed over 250,000 COVID-19 samples. The relatively small laboratory is evolving quickly to meet the need and scale through hiring of personnel and expansion of equipment and new laboratory space.

"Everything we have done during this time is with the people of our communities and nation in mind. After partnering with Kroger Health to execute their nationwide drive throughs, we were enthusiastic to continue to expand testing through our partnership in a way that is flexible and accessible during this critical time of working to reopen the United States," said Tony Remington, CEO of Gravity Diagnostics. "We are humbled to be a part of just one of the ways Kroger Health is executing a larger vision of how the healthcare industry is evolving."

About Gravity Diagnostics
Gravity Diagnostics is a full-service state-of-the-art CLIA laboratory licensed in all 50 states providing innovative laboratory testing including Infectious Disease (Upper Respiratory and Sexually Transmitted), Toxicology, and Pharmacogenomics. We are an advocate for physicians, patients, and our communities, supporting them with unsurpassed integrity, regulatory compliance, and clinical expertise. Learn more by visiting gravitydiagnostics.com.

About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America's leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,000 pharmacies and 200 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Their team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners - from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. They believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling "food as medicine" to help prevent or manage certain diseases. Learn more at -1%26h%3D3033973941%26u%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.krogerhealth.com%252F%26a%3Dwww.krogerhealth.com&a=www.krogerhealth.com" rel="nofollow">www.krogerhealth.com.

About The Kroger Co.:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to their Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. They are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. They are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about them, visit their newsroom and investor relations site.

Contact: media@gravitydiagnostics.com

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SOURCE Gravity Diagnostics

FAQ

What is the significance of the updated EUA granted to Kroger Health on July 1, 2020?

The updated EUA allows self-collection of nasal swab specimens, enhancing accessibility and convenience for COVID-19 testing.

How many COVID-19 tests is Kroger Health aiming to process by the end of July 2020?

Kroger Health aims to process up to 60,000 tests per week by the end of July 2020.

How many COVID-19 samples has Gravity Diagnostics processed as of now?

Gravity Diagnostics has processed over 250,000 COVID-19 samples to date.

When was the original EUA granted to Gravity Diagnostics for the COVID-19 testing?

The original EUA was granted on June 1, 2020.