BUFFALO, N.Y. — As we told you back in mid-March, Zeptometrix based here in Buffalo had actually obtained samples of the virus, which causes COVID-19. They were in turn processing those samples so they could be used by the companies actually making the diagnostic tests.
Now Zeptometrix is focused on making sure that those tests function properly.
"Now what we're doing is supplying actual formulated controls to testing labs," said Zeptometrix CEO Shawn Smith. "Those controls help the labs understand if what they're doing is performing to expectations."
2 On Your Side asked for clarification.
2 On Your Side's Ron Plants asked Smith if this is being done to make sure their testing instruments or their system is properly calibrated or if their protocols are being done properly.
Smith replied, "Yeah... so without controls there's basically no reference. You're running test after test after test. And there's no way to ascertain whether the tests or the instruments or the operators are drifting at all in their procedures or the data that's being generated. So the use of the external run controls helps to inform the lab director as to the compliance of the overall activity."
As you might imagine Zeptometrix has been extremely busy. They usually ship their product here in the US but now they are shipping more of it to places like Europe and Australia. Currently they are doing preliminary work to help solidify the accuracy of antibody testing.