- Siemens Malaysia, Siemens Healthineers, Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility joined forces to help Malaysia curb outbreak of COVID-19
- Donation of 25,000 Siemens Healthineers COVID-19 Antibody tests worth RM528,800 to the Institute for Medical Research (IMR)
- The test developed by Siemens Healthineers allows for identification of patients who have developed an adaptive immune response, which indicates recent infection or prior exposure
KUALA LUMPUR, MARCH 16, 2020: Siemens Group of Companies in Malaysia – Siemens Malaysia, Siemens Healthineers, Siemens Energy and Siemens Mobility donated 25,000 of Siemens Healthineers COVID-19 test kits worth of RM 528,800 to the Ministry of Health (MOH). The COVID-19 Antibody tests were handed over by Siemens Malaysia’s President and CEO, Adam Yee to Dr. Haji Tahir bin Aris at The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) office, Setia Alam, Shah Alam.
This joint donation is aimed at helping our country to curb the growing threats of COVID-19 within our community. With more than 320,000 accumulated cases to date, Siemens recognized the critical need to have rapid and accurate testing to manage COVID-19 infection amongst Malaysia residents. The Siemens Healthineers COVID-19 Antibody test was designed to enable the delivery of reliable and fast results which also helps to provide a clearer view of disease progression and immune response.
“We would like to show our solidarity and support to our healthcare frontlines who have worked tirelessly for the nation since the pandemic outbreak. The donated test kits mark our commitment to the country to help curb the spread of this virus. While precautionary measures are being implemented by the government, the virus is going to be with us for a while. Until the vaccine is widely available, we want to play our part to aid the Ministry of Health in ensuring the safety of fellow Malaysians. Hopefully, with these test kits, we can effectively manage and add value to the containment of this virus.”
The test kits were delivered to the Institute of Medical Research as requested by the Ministry of Health to aid the facility’s research on the pandemic. During the symbolic handover, Adam Yee and Rod Frazer, Managing Director of Siemens Healthineers also presented a special “Thank You” poster dedicated to all healthcare workers and front-liners, hand-drawn by the son of a Siemens’ employee.
“High-quality antibody tests that are highly scalable will be critical to successfully reopening our society. Targeting the right protein is also essential for antibody testing. The S1RBD is a key protein on the surface of the virus, as growing evidence shows these antibodies are neutralizing and can prevent virus entry into the human cells. The selection of antibodies detected by our test is aligned with the current vaccinations in development. The Siemens Healthineers test detects antibodies to the spike protein, specifically the S1RBD.”
The test kits have been authorized by both CE_IVD and FDA EUA for use by authorized laboratories. It also received a special access approval from the Medical Device Authority of Malaysia.