HHS awards second contract to develop better Zika blood screening test

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response today announced a $4.1 million agreement with Hologic Inc. to advance the development of a blood screening test to help detect the presence of Zika in the blood supply. The test is designed to detect Zika virus ribonucleic acid up to seven days post-infection in plasma from individuals who live in or have visited areas of active Zika transmission. This is the second blood screening test ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority is helping advance to test donated blood for Zika. “This test may provide another tool laboratories can use to identify infected blood donations to help ensure patients’ safety,” said BARDA Acting Director Richard Hatchett, M.D. “At the same time, we are pursuing promising diagnostic tools, and vaccines to identify and prevent Zika virus infections.”