Sema4 announced an expanded, formal partnership with the state of Connecticut to provide COVID-19 testing to residents, as well as state employees and first responders.
The company will offer both viral infection and antibody testing, including for patients in primary care and long-term care facilities. By the end of June, Sema4 plans to expand its testing capacity to at least 10,000 viral tests per day and 5,000 antibody tests per day.
In addition, to help support back-to-work programs, the company will provide its digital portal for ordering tests and coordinating the delivery of results between employees, employers and state public health programs.
Sema4 previously launched high-throughput testing efforts across Connecticut and New York in early April, including working with local governments in COVID-19 epidemiological research programs and genome sequencing. Through the company’s laboratory in Branford, Connecticut, outside of New Haven, Sema4 said it has processed viral COVID-19 tests for about 30 healthcare facilities.
“Sema4 is playing a critical role in supporting the state with testing capacity,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Chabot, head of Connecticut’s state testing program. “We are very fortunate to have Sema4 as a partner with industry-leading testing experience, state-of-the-art digital tools and analysis, outstanding clinical expertise, and the labs to be able to ramp up COVID-19 testing quickly.”
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Currently, Sema4 accepts saliva as well as nasal and oral swab samples, collected by healthcare providers or through authorized collection sites. Its viral tests are manufactured by PerkinElmer, while its antibody tests use Abbott’s Alinity system. The company plans to also accept saliva samples collected at home using products recently authorized by the FDA.
“Our team is working relentlessly to provide expanded viral and antibody testing to support state employees, first responders, and all Connecticut residents who need testing during this public health crisis,” said Sema4’s founder and CEO, Erick Schadt. “We are also engaging with large employers in the state to support their efforts to re-open offices by offering our digital tools and testing to support safe and healthy workplace environments.”