VIC government secures local manufacturing of rapid tests to meet vast supply gap

MedTech News: The Victorian Government is supporting local manufacturing of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to help secure critical supplies for the state and create more local jobs in our thriving medical technology sector.

Lumos Diagnostics, together with its delivery partner Planet Innovation, will establish a manufacturing facility and innovation hub in Victoria with support from the Government.

If approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Lumos, who are already making RATs for Canadian and European markets, will produce one million tests a month from April, three million a month after July, with full production from October onwards of up to 50 million RATs each year.

Lumos Diagnostics’ CoviDx rapid test has already been approved by Canada in November. The company approached the federal government back in 2020 to push for the local manufacturing of RATs, but has since established manufacturing capability in Florida and California as it waits for TGA approval. Lumos submitted TGA applications in September last year and is still waiting for approval.

VIC Premier Daniel Andrews said “Manufacturing rapid antigen tests in Victoria will protect and secure the state’s supply chain and create local jobs. Being able to scale up production so quickly shows the strength of Victoria’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.”

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Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford, added “School is back, businesses are open and we can spend time with the people we love doing the things we have missed. Rapid antigen tests are a big part of living safely and having a secure, locally made supply will serve us incredibly well.”

The Government will secure priority supply of several million tests from Lumos to meet demand in the coming months.

The Lumos facility will be able to produce diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, tropical diseases, chronic diseases and reproductive health, in addition to RATs. Through the innovation hub, local start-ups, research and development institutes and small-to-medium businesses will also have access to product development and manufacturing support programs.

Lumos Diagnostics Executive Chair Sam Lanyon commented “As an organisation founded in Victoria, Lumos Diagnostics is proud to establish a Victorian manufacturing hub for in collaboration with Planet Innovation and with support from the Victorian Government. The project will create at least 70 ongoing jobs, adding to Victoria’s thriving medical and advanced manufacturing sector that already employs thousands of Victorians across the state.”

Last month the federal Department of Health signed contracts of more than $60 million for the “urgent” supply of rapid antigen tests. The contracts are with Australian-based companies which have been approved by the TGA to sponsor overseas manufactured RATs, all of which are being made in China.

AnteoTech and Ellume are other local companies sending large quantities of locally-made RATs to the US, while awaiting TGA approvals for use in Australia.