On Mar. 21, 2021, Cepheid announced it had received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Xpertﾮ Xpress SARS-CoV-2, a rapid molecular diagnostic test for qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.

The test had been designed to operate on any of Cepheid’s more than 23,000 automated GeneXpertﾮ Systems worldwide, with a detection time of approximately 45 minutes.