The US FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Quidel's rapid diagnostic test, which can detect SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A & B from a single swab sample in 15 minutes. 

The FDA-EUA Sofia® 2 Flu + SARS Antigen FIA, also known as ABC Test, is a rapid point-of-care test to be used with the Sofia® 2 Fluorescent Immunoassay Analyzer. 

The Sofia® 2 instrument also offers two distinct workflows: depending upon the user’s choice, the Sofia® 2 SARS Antigen FIA cartridge is placed inside Sofia® 2 for automatically timed development (WALK AWAY Mode); or test cartridges can be placed on the counter or benchtop for a manually timed development and then placed into Sofia® 2 to be scanned (READ NOW Mode), allowing the user to increase testing throughput per hour markedly.

The Sofia® 2 system also comes connected to Virena®, Quidel’s data management system, which provides aggregated, de-identified testing data in near real-time.

"The new Sofia® 2 Flu + SARS Antigen FIA offers excellent performance for SARS-2 (95.2% PPA versus PCR and 100% NPA versus PCR), as well as for Influenza A (90% sensitivity versus culture and 95% specificity versus culture) and Influenza B (89% sensitivity versus culture and 96% specificity versus culture) in nasal swabs," said a Quidel spokesperson.