- The spokesman for the Basque Department of Health said at noon on 13 April that "there are several companies that are developing the tests" and that the Basque Government wants to be "cautious" if they start using these tests. The independent municipal platform Zalla Bai has initiated a collection of signatures to request that researchers from the UPV/EHU start using the test they have developed with other institutions as soon as possible. This test, already developed, cheaper and the result of public research, seems to be a challenge for the Basque companies that are developing the test.
On April 10, it was known that a group of Basque researchers has created a new test to detect COVID-19.
On April 13, journalists asked the Health Department spokesman about the use of this test, which has generalized the answer by saying that "several companies are developing the tests and have to act wisely" when they move on to the application.
The research team that has been the first to develop the test in the Basque Country has been: Scientists from different departments of the UPV/EHU, Ikerbasque, Achucarro, Fundación Biofísica Bizkaia, Biocruces Bizkaia and Instituto Bioaraba.
Some of the benefits of this test are as follows: It is estimated that each sample will cost EUR 15 and takes less than four hours to receive a reply. The coordinator of this study, Ugo Mayor, has pointed out that “in the UPV we could do between 500 and 1,000 tests a day, but if we coordinate the resources of the CAV, we could do 10,000 a day”.
Collection of signatures so that the test developed by the UPV starts to be used as soon as possible
Meanwhile, the independent municipal list Zalla Bai started a collection of signatures on 11 April to ask that it start using these tests as soon as possible and in two days they are about to get 15,000 signatures (here you can read and sign the request). The text of the collection of signatures underlines that the World Health Organization believes that the massive use of the tests is a good way to control the pandemic and that this test "is cheaper, faster and more reliable than the one that the Basque Government is using so far".
Basque companies compete to create tests
Companies that are developing the tests are as follows: Osasen and Progenika Biopharma. These companies are developing the tests but still do not have them ready. Progenika hopes that his will be ready in the coming weeks, but he has not given more details.
Osasen is a company established by Biolan Mikrobiosensoreak S.L. and directed by Asier Albizu. He has been Director-General of the Neiker-Tecnalia Institute, dedicated to agricultural research.
Progenika Biopharma is located in the Zamudio Technology Park and is linked to the pharmaceutical company Grifols. One of its founders is Antonio Martínez, who tells in this video how university researchers decided to make the leap to the private company and how important public money is for this type of companies to be competitive in the market.
Why not start using a test that is already developed and ready, being cheaper and more reliable than the others on the market?
Update: After the publication of this news, the researcher at the UPV/EHU Ugo Mayor has warned that the university has not implied that the protocol developed with Osakidetza is faster and more reliable than the commercial tests received by the Basque Government so far. The professor and researcher has pointed out that, at least, the UPV/EHU has never claimed it.