Ascend to Perform Antibody Testing for COVID-19

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascend, the nation's leading dialysis testing laboratory, has begun performing antibody testing for COVID-19. Ascend is one of the first to offer COVID-19 total antibody testing on the Siemens high throughput platform, which can be combined with a patient's regularly scheduled tests.

Ascend is using the SARS-CoV-2 Total Antibody assay from Siemens Healthineers, performed on high throughput Atellica® Solution immunoassay analyzers. The test detects SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with a demonstrated 100 percent sensitivity and 99.8 percent specificity, exceeding stringent FDA quality guidelines. This total antibody test allows for early identification of patients infected with the virus who have developed an adaptive immune response. Siemens received authorization for the test by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).   

Initially, the laboratory will be able to process up to 10,000 tests per day with the ability to expand to 50,000 shortly. Ascend expects to report antibody test results within 24 hours of specimen receipt.

About Ascend Clinical
Founded in 1984, Ascend Clinical is the leader in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) laboratory testing services for independent and hospital-based dialysis clinics throughout the United States.

Media Contact:
Thomas Hyland
650-780-5512
[email protected]

SOURCE Ascend