Qld bio-tech company wins US contract to manufacture rapid home COVID-19 tests

Local, Brisbane-based biotech firm Ellume has been awarded a $300 million contract with the United States Government to ramp up production of its COVID-19 home testing kits.

Acting Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles, who recently visited Ellume’s Richlands facility, congratulated the company on its achievement.

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

“This contract will allow Ellume to increase manufacturing of its rapid testing kits here in Brisbane, while also expanding to the US.

“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.

“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.”

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

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

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.”

For more information on the Essential Goods and Supply Chain Program, visit https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/industry/industry-support/personal-protective-equipment-ppe.

ENDS

Media contact: Amy Hunter 0423 651 484