Apple grants $10 million to Copan Diagnostics for testing kits | HT Tech

Apple grants $10 million to Copan Diagnostics for testing kits

As part of the effort, Copan will also move to a new, larger facility with advanced equipment that Apple is helping design.

By: MOLLY SCHUETZ
| Updated on: May 08 2020, 02:20 IST
Apple is obtaining equipment and materials for Copan from companies across the U.S. Copan Diagnostics is the U.S. unit of the Italian company Copan Group
Apple is obtaining equipment and materials for Copan from companies across the U.S. Copan Diagnostics is the U.S. unit of the Italian company Copan Group (REUTERS)
Apple is obtaining equipment and materials for Copan from companies across the U.S. Copan Diagnostics is the U.S. unit of the Italian company Copan Group
Apple is obtaining equipment and materials for Copan from companies across the U.S. Copan Diagnostics is the U.S. unit of the Italian company Copan Group (REUTERS)

Apple Inc. is awarding $10 million to Copan Diagnostics Inc., one of the leading makers of sample collection kits involved in Covid-19 testing.

The grant comes from Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund and will help Murrieta, California-based Copan accelerate its supply of testing kits for hospitals across the U.S. to more than 1 million a week by early July, from several thousand currently, Apple said Thursday in a statement. As part of the effort, Copan will also move to a new, larger facility with advanced equipment that Apple is helping design.

Also read: Apple, Google show what their exposure notification system could look like

"We feel a deep sense of responsibility to do everything we can to help medical workers, patients, and communities support the global response to Covid-19," Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, said in the statement.

Apple is obtaining equipment and materials for Copan from companies across the U.S. Copan Diagnostics is the U.S. unit of the Italian company Copan Group. It is one of only about two manufacturers in the world for the specific types of nasal swabs used for collecting Covid-19 samples. Copan makes many of its swabs in Italy and has faced a surge in demand as the pandemic has spread and shortages in testing capacity have posed hurdles to stemming the outbreak and enabling an economic recovery.

Also read: Apple, Google ban use of location tracking in contact tracing apps

Apple also joined with Alphabet Inc.'s Google to create a contact-tracing tool for Covid-19 to be built into iOS and Android smartphone operating systems. The system will help notify users when they have come in contact with a person who has the disease caused by the coronavirus. The company has also developed a symptom tracking website and app in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cupertino, California-based Apple has also designed, tested and distributed about 10 million face shields and helped procure more than 30 million face masks for health care professionals in hard-hit areas, the company said.

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First Published Date: 08 May, 02:20 IST
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