First Malaysian made COVID-19 rapid antigen testing kit available from July 19

MeDKAD project manager Syahriah Razak said the Salixium kit can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen in human saliva and anterior nasal swab specimens.

The rapid test takes 10 to 15 minutes to perform and the result is judged by visible bands which confirm the presence of the antigen.

"The presence or absence of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen in the specimen will be indicated by a pink-purplish band appearance in the test region. If the specimen does not contain the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, no colour band will appear at the test region, indicating a negative test result," she said in a statement.

"As a procedural control, the appearance of a coloured band in the control region confirms a proper flow of the specimen regardless of the presence or absence of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen in the specimen."

A total of 242 saliva or nasal swab samples were tested with Salixium and the results showed that the sensitivity of Salixium was 91.23 per cent and the specificity at 100 per cent, according to the statement.

The company's chief executive officer and co-founder Ezuan Yaacob said MeDKAD has its own in-house scientists and medical experts with the capability to not only develop their own tests but to work together with research institutions locally and abroad to ensure the effectiveness of the product.

Besides Malaysia, MeDKAD is planning to penetrate other countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East as Salixium has also been widely used in countries such as France, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, especially in Dubai.

Founded in 2016 and based in Shah Alam, Selangor, MeDKAD is a health technology company that empower companies to better manage their medical benefits.