Queensland COVID-19 rapid home testing kits hit US shores

Brisbane-based biotech company Ellume sent the first shipment of its rapid COVID-19 home testing kits to the United States today.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Steven Miles visited Ellume’s Richlands facility to congratulate the company on its achievement.

“By the end of this financial year, Ellume aims to provide more than 20 million tests for the United States – a country that’s seen the highest daily case rates in the world,” Mr Miles said.

“Ellume is another successful Queensland manufacturer rolling up its sleeves to fight the global pandemic and employing hundreds of Queenslanders to do so.

“We have the best manufacturers in Queensland, and we will always back them, as we continue our economic recovery and create jobs.

Mr Miles confirmed that the Queensland Government is providing funding to the company from the Essential Goods and Supply Chain program, announced in May 2020.

“This funding will allow Ellume to increase manufacturing of its suite of rapid testing kits at its new facility in Richlands,” he said.

“The company’s 300-plus employees currently working at the Richlands production laboratory are currently scaling up to manufacture more than 200,000 testing kits a day, and at full capacity, the facility will be capable of producing 10 million tests a month.”

Ellume CEO and Founder, Dr Sean Parsons said the funding will allow the company to install state-of-the-art automated production lines to assemble its suite of rapid COVID-19 tests for export.

"The funds from the State Government will greatly assist in upscaling manufacturing to meet the growing demand for Ellume’s products, providing greater supply security," Dr Parsons said. 

“This is world-leading and life-saving diagnostic testing technology, created and manufactured right here in Queensland.”

Mr Miles said Queensland was in an enviable position thanks to the hard work of all Queenslanders.

“Thanks to our world-best health response, Queensland has avoided the significant case numbers experienced overseas,” Mr Miles said.  

“It is a testament to our hard work and wonderful healthcare system that we can manufacture at-home COVID-19 tests right here in Queensland and export them overseas to countries who need it.”

The company has plans to expand availability of its tests into Europe later this year, subject to securing the required approvals.

This project aligns with the Queensland Government’s Biomedical 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan which sets out how business and government can work together to grow the biomedical industry and move Queensland closer to becoming a globally competitive Asia-Pacific biomedical industry hub.

For more information on the Essential Goods and Supply Chain Program, visit here.

ENDS

Media contact:           Amy Hunter – 0423 651 484