The Queensland government has announced it will make a $50 million investment in Brisbane-based digital diagnostics company to support the ramping up of its production of diagnostic tests for common infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
The investment is being made under the state government’s ‘Essential Goods and Supply Chain Program’.
Ellume CEO and founder Dr Sean Parsons welcomed the commitment to local manufacturing.
“Our technology is world class and the State Government’s investment boost will mean we can take our ground-breaking COVID-19 tests to the world,” said Dr Parsons.
Ellume’s range of rapid diagnostic products are helping to address the unprecedented global demand for fast, accurate diagnostic tests for infection with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus which causes COVID-19.
The company said it will use the state government grant to expand its current manufacturing facility in Brisbane. It is already the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The project is expected to support over 500 jobs when fully operational, said the company, with up to an additional 200 jobs created during construction.
Ellume said it is on track to produce 100,000 tests per day from next month and over 250,000 tests per day by March 2021. It plans to manufacture and deliver in excess of 20 million COVID-19 tests within the first half of 2021.
