Texas Company gains FDA approval for COVID-19 test using cell phone

STAFFORD - The struggle to rapidly diagnose Coronavirus has just gotten a great deal less difficult with FDA emergency approval of a game-changing, smartphone-based, testing technology developed and manufactured in Stafford, Texas.

“We’re just excited to be here and be very relevant in the fight against Covid-19,” said Travis Kisner, Chief Operating Officer of DetectaChem.

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DetectaChem is a company that’s earned global praise for its cutting edge mobile analysis tools that detect dangerous explosives and narcotics.

 Back in March, Fox 26 was the first to report DetectaChem had succeeded in adapting its patented MobileDetect system to the fight against COVID-19.

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 “You are definitely excited and frustrated that you can’t help sooner, faster, better, but there is also that trust in the FDA qualifying things and making sure it’s right,” said Kisner.

Here's how the test kit works.

After gathering a sample in the nasal cavity, a swab is then pushed into a pouch where ampules are crushed and chemicals activated.

The pouch is then placed in a small heater for 30 minutes and removed for scanning on an Android or I-phone through DetectaChem’s downloadable app.

“You are going to align the test with the QR code...and it's going to show you the result,” explained Kisner.

During months of FDA review DetecaChem’s molecular test performed with 100 percent accuracy in detecting Coronavirus with results delivered in less than an hour without a lab – a capacity of particular value to American schools and areas of our world struggling with insufficient healthcare.

“You can check entire class bodies in a matter of a day or two. So you lower the infrastructure needs, as we did, by providing simple-to-use, one-button heaters that happen in a 30-minute cycle that is very easy to program and understand. That is really the capability that we’ve provided to those countries, maybe third world or even other countries that maybe don’t have the medical infrastructure that we have here or other places,” said Kisner.

As for cost, a single DetectaChem test for Coronavirus sells for under $60 and the Texas company says it’s fully equipped to manufacture millions.