Orig3n Provides COVID-19 Testing Of Boston's Unhoused Homeless Population

BOSTON, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Orig3n, Inc., a Boston-based company pioneering the future of wellness and health through diagnostics, genetics and biotechnology, has provided over 1,000 COVID-19 tests to Boston's homeless population in support of the City of Boston's efforts to test all unhoused persons.  Boston Health Care for the Homeless is leading this effort, in coordination with the Boston Public Health Commission, St. Francis House and the Pine Street Inn. 

"We want to thank Orig3n for their generous donation and support. Universal testing is a critical part of protecting our most vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will help people experiencing homelessness across the City connect with the care they need. We also want to thank our community partners at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program for their tireless efforts to support and care for the homeless community," said Dr. Jennifer Lo, Medical Director of the Boston Public Health Commission.

"Boston's unhoused persons are at great risk of developing COVID-19, as we've seen in published studies about the infection rate among this population," said Robin Y. Smith, President and CEO of Orig3n.  "We are very pleased to be able to offer testing to Boston's homeless in support of diagnosis, and subsequent care by our city's great healthcare professionals.  We're proud to be teaming up with the City of Boston, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, the Boston Public Health Commission, St. Francis House and the Pine Street Inn to help this at-risk population of our fellow citizens."

Orig3n is offering the Orig3n 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Test under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from FDA to authorized healthcare providers and institutions nationwide. The test detects the presence of nucleic acid from the virus that causes COVID-19 and is for use with patients suspected of having contracted COVID-19 (subject to current guidance for administration of tests in order to evaluate infection).

"Homeless shelters, like nursing homes, employers, cities and towns, are in great need of testing.  These organizations face a significant challenge in coordinating multiple suppliers and service providers to provide testing on the scale that is needed," said Mr. Smith.  "While a city like Boston is able to gather these resources, many organizations are not. To address this challenge, Orig3n offers a single, seamless, end-to-end solution that incorporates specimen collection swabs, healthcare providers to collect specimens, logistics of transporting the specimens back to the laboratory, and testing in our Boston-based high complexity clinical laboratory.  This program addresses many of the obstacles that are currently preventing the widespread testing that we so desperately need. Orig3n's approach provides a model for the entire nation to make comprehensive testing happen." 

Orig3n seeks to be the partner of choice for coordinating and providing COVID-19 testing for defined populations. On May 11, 2020, Orig3n announced (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/orig3n-announces-comprehensive-solution-to-enable-covid-19-testing-of-massachusetts-nursing-home-residents-301057187.html) how it is working with nursing homes in Massachusetts to provide testing.   The nursing home program is one of many applications for Orig3n's fully-integrated solution, including:

• Employer Collection Events. As businesses reopen, Orig3n will partner with employers to coordinate and provide testing for workplaces. This can reduce the risk of workplace hazards associated with COVID19.
• School Populations. As primary, secondary and higher education institutions reopen in the Fall, Orig3n will partner with these institutions to implement comprehensive testing and risk management programs for their campuses.
• City and State Collection Events. Orig3n partners with cities and states to provide testing for large segments of the population at centralized testing locations.
• Government Agencies. As government offices reopen, Orig3n will partner with agencies to provide testing so that our public officials can resume providing critically important services to citizens.
• Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. Testing of residents and staff who may have been exposed to COVID-19 in an effort to protect this high-risk population.

"As we all adapt to a 'new normal,' Orig3n's fully-automated, high throughput laboratory and deep experience in sample collection logistics allow us to be the partner of choice for nursing homes, employers, schools and governments nationwide," said Mr. Smith. 

Orig3n's test is a validated, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal, anterior nasal, and mid-turbinate nasal swab specimens from individuals suspected of COVID-19.  Test results will be available in 24-36 hours from receipt of specimens in Orig3n's Boston laboratory.  For more information about the test, please visit https://orig3n.com/covid19.  More details about the offering for nursing homes can be found at:  https://orig3n.com/covid19/nursinghomes/. 

The Orig3n 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Test is made available pursuant to the "Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories and Food and Drug Administration Staff", which was issued by FDA on February 29, 2020 (as subsequently modified). The EUA will be effective until the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 is terminated.  More information regarding FDA's authorization can be found FDA's website at: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/emergency-use-authorizations#covid19ivd%5C). 

About Orig3n
Orig3n exists at the intersection of biological science and emerging technology, on a mission to revolutionize the future of medicine. As part of its mission to democratize access to genetic information, Orig3n provides affordable direct to consumer testing as well as physician ordered, medical grade diagnostics. Orig3n also invests in breakthrough cell therapy programs by utilizing cutting-edge cellular science to develop personalized therapies for repairing tissue damage and treating disease.  Orig3n's clinical diagnostic business provides COVID19 testing nation-wide. Since its inception in 2014, Orig3n has built the largest suite of direct-to-consumer genetic tests on the market, and the world's most comprehensive cell bank for commercial regenerative medicine applications.  For more information, visit www.orig3n.com.

SOURCE Orig3n Inc.

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