Danaher unit Cepheid wins approval of point-of-care hepatitis C test

The U.S. FDA has granted marketing authorization to the Xpert HCV test and GeneXpert Xpress System, the first-ever point-of-care test for hepatitis C, from Danaher (NYSE:DHR) subsidiary Cepheid.
The test can be performed in places such as doctors’ offices, emergency departments, and urgent care clinics.
The test can detect the presence of hepatitis C RNA through a small blood sample from a fingertip in an hour.
The agency noted the test allows for a test-and-treat approach where if a patient’s results are positive, a treatment plan can be developed potentially during the same visit.