Japan's Fujifilm to produce antigen test kits for COVID-19 diagnosis in Vietnam

December 21, 2020 | 19:16

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Japanese precision chemistry firm Fujifilm Corp. will produce novel coronavirus antigen testing kits in Vietnam for the global market by expanding its local production facilities.

japans fujifilm to produce antigen test kits for covid 19 diagnosis in vietnam

Japan's Fujifilm will produce COVID-19 antigen diagnosis test kits in Vietnam

As reported by VIR, Fujifilm is among the latest recipients of the Japanese government's subsidies to diversify their operation. Specifically, the Japanese government is now providing subsidies for 30 companies to increase production in Southeast Asia, in the second round of a multi-billion dollar programme to diversify supply chains.

NNA Business News reported that Fujifilm will invest an undisclosed amount in Fujifilm Yuwa Medical Products Vietnam Co., a joint venture producing diagnostic agents, in stages starting in the next fiscal year to build a monthly production capacity of 2 million testing kits, an official of the Tokyo-based company said on Thursday (December 17). The date to start production has yet to be decided.

With its own technology used in the photo printing process, the kits can quickly and easily detect novel coronavirus antigens. Fujifilm Yuwa Medical Products was established in May in Binh Duong province, southern Vietnam, with Fujifilm owning 51 per cent and Yuwa Co., a moulding maker based in Nagano Prefecture, owning 49 per cent and started producing diagnostic drugs in November, according to a company statement.

In the antigen tests, doctors insert swabs into a patient's nostril and put nasal discharge on a testing kit plate to get the result on site. Despite its lower accuracy than the currently dominant polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, the quick and easy method is expected to be used in airports and event venues as well as hospitals, with demand likely to grow.

By Thanh Van

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