Viral antigen tests on deck as world awaits validation of COVID-19 serology

As companies and regulators grapple with the accuracy of serological tests that detect past exposure to the novel coronavirus, another type of immunoassay aimed at spotting presymptomatic infections is poised to go from zero to sixty in the coming weeks.

Although more than 100 COVID-19 serological tests are already commercialized around the world, questions about their accuracy, and about the hands-off approach taken by regulators, still loom large. Though the tests are not used for diagnosis, the stakes are arguably just as high, with governments viewing them as key for guiding the allocation of resources and determining who can go back to work (see “Wild West of COVID-19 Antibody Tests”)...