GenScript Biotech Corp. signed an exclusive agreement with Singapore's Duke-NUS Medical School and the Diagnostics Development Hub to co-develop and manufacture a serology test to detect COVID-19.

The surrogate virus neutralization test, also known as cPass, can detect neutralizing antibodies in an hour without the need for live biological materials and a biocontainment facility, the Chinese company said in a May 14 press release.

The cPass test was developed by a team at the Duke-NUS Medical School, and the Diagnostics Development Hub, which is under Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research, validated the kit.

The test has secured provisional authorization by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority.

In February, Hong Kong-listed GenScript said it was planning to ramp up the supply of tests to detect the novel coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19.

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