Longhorn Vaccines and Cenetron Diagnostics Join Coca-Cola Bottlers to Produce COVID-19 Test Kits

Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics LLC (Bethesda, MD, USA) and Cenetron Diagnostics (Austin, TX, USA) have collaborated with Southeastern Container (SEC) to expand production of COVID-19 testing kits.

SEC is a co-operative funded and managed by a group of independent Coca-Cola bottlers serving the US and Canada. As part of the collaboration, Cenetron and other medical product manufacturers will begin producing COVID-19 testing kits using Longhorn’s proprietary PrimeStore Molecular Transport Medium (MTM) and preform Coca-Cola bottles, sourced from SEC, as test tubes. The goal is to manufacture 1-2 million preform test tubes per week to help meet the broader US testing goal of performing 10 million COVID-19 tests per week.

Longhorn’s PrimeStore MTM is the only FDA cleared nucleic transport device that inactivates microbes within the device. By CDC guidelines, inactivated samples can be transferred to point of care devices and laboratory based molecular testing equipment without the need for a biological safety cabinet, reducing the time from collection to results. Samples can be easily and quickly moved from the Coca-Cola preform to microcentrifuge tubes for rapid automation.

“We are very thankful for the top notch team of problem solvers in the Diagnostic Group at HHS, and the scientists at Oak Ridge and Sandia Laboratories for facilitating this solution through Coke Consolidated, SEC Containers and Berry Global,” said Jeff Fischer, President of Longhorn. “Cenetron and our growing network of manufacturing partners, many of which are small, family owned business, have stepped up to provide much needed filling capacity while providing additional jobs to their communities. These first-rate Coca-Cola preforms, with leak proof caps, will ensure that we can continue to produce as many PrimeStore MTM sample collection devices as the country needs.”

“When the request came for Cenetron to produce millions of PrimeStore MTM tubes, our team had to quickly put all of our resources into setting up and designing systems that allowed us to scale up the project, all while working to keep our employees as safe as possible,” said Brandon Harper, Cenetron’s Chief Operating Officer. “We realize that we must continue to innovate in order to keep our pharma customers, and ultimately patients, safe and moving forward.”

Related Links:
Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics LLC
Cenetron Diagnostics