Roche Ready to Ramp Up Mpox Test Kits Amid Rising European Cases

Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker announced a rise in mpox cases in Europe, with potential for expanding test kit production tenfold to meet rising demand. With the first new variant detected in Germany, the company could increase production within six to nine months in a pandemic scenario.

Roche, the Swiss healthcare giant, is poised to increase the production of its mpox test kits tenfold in response to a surge in cases across Europe, CEO Thomas Schinecker reported. Despite the current demand being modest, the firm is prepared for a potential pandemic scenario that could necessitate this expansion. Schinecker remarked on a recent earnings call that the detection of Europe's first new variant in Germany underscores the potential for rapid virus spread. Germany's Robert Koch Institute for public health maintains that the risk to the general population is currently low.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency in August following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which later spread to nearby nations. The new strain of the virus was first identified outside Africa in Sweden on August 15.

Schinecker assured that should a pandemic situation arise, Roche could escalate its diagnostics production within six to nine months. Current reporting suggests some cases might not yet be widely publicized, elevating the need for preparedness.

(With inputs from agencies.)