Cayuga Health, Rheonix team up on same-day COVID-19 testing

ITHACA, N.Y. — Cayuga Health and Rheonix Inc. on Thursday announced they are now able to provide same-day turnaround for COVID-19 test results.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday granted Rheonix emergency use authorization (EUA) for its Rheonix COVID-19TM MDx assay. The “rapid” sample-to-answer test enables the “fully automated” detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, directly from respiratory samples.

The test is designed to operate on the Rheonix Encompass MDx workstation and will facilitate same-day results at distributed testing locations.

“We are thrilled to team with Rheonix, located right here in Ithaca. Their technology and expertise [have] enabled us to be able to provide same-day results for COVID-19 testing — one of the quickest turnaround times in our region,” Martin Stallone, president and CEO of Cayuga Health, said in a release. “We were successful with opening one of the first COVID-19 drive through sampling centers in our state and will continue to do what it takes to fight this epidemic and meet the healthcare needs of our community, right here.”

Rheonix — a company based in Cornell University’s Business and Technology Park — says it seeks to address unmet needs for “rapid, sensitive and specific” molecular testing across a variety of markets. This idea led to the invention of the Rheonix CARD cartridge and Encompass family of workstations, which it described as “fully automated, highly versatile and easy-to-use” testing systems.

Greg Galvin of Ithaca founded the company and serves as its president, CEO, and chairman of its board of directors.

“I am incredibly happy to be able to support Cayuga Health — Rheonix’s hometown health system – with their fight against this COVID-19 pandemic by giving them the ability to provide same day test results to their patients,” Galvin said.

Testing site

The Cayuga Health/Tompkins County Sampling Center, which opened March 24, is available for drive through testing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. A new website with online registration is available at www.cayugahealth.org for patients to review the screening criteria and pre-register before their arrival, “allowing greater efficiencies with patient volume and decreased wait times,” Cayuga Health said.

In addition, a call center has been set up for patients who may not have access to Internet, need assistance registering, or have questions. The call center number is (607) 319-5708. People are “strongly encouraged” to pre-register prior to coming to the site.

The sampling center is located in portable structures at The Shops at Ithaca Mall parking lot in Lansing and is staffed by Cayuga Health employees. Screening includes obtaining respiratory samples, which are then sent to the Cayuga Health Laboratory for results.