The Institute of Molecular Biology will soon start producing tests to diagnose the coronavirus, the Government reports.
Director of the Institute Arsen Arakelyan says “as the virus is spreading worldwide, every country should think of how it can meet own needs.”
He said Armenia lacks the infrastructure to organize the whole process.
“Therefore, we start from a later stage. We have ordered separate components from different companies, and will assemble the tests here,” Arakelyan says.
Even this way, he says, the tests will cost cheaper than now.
The internal trials have been completed. In the second stage trials will be carried out on patients, after which the tests will have to pass an independent trial.
Arsen Arakelyan says 20-30 people have been working on the program, another 10 people are working on trials. About 10-15 people will be involved in the production stage.
The Institute is planning to produce at least 1,000 tests daily, but the number could reach 2,000-3,000.
