Denka will provide a total of 30,000 tests of the QuickNavi Ebloa rapid Ebola antigen diagnostic kit, jointly developed with Hokkaido University, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo through JICA. Of these, 550 tests have already been provided in September as part of the emergency response, under a plan based on a local request.
Denka has announced that it will provide the QuickNavi Ebloa rapid Ebola virus antigen diagnostic kit, jointly developed with Professor Takada Ayato (髙田 礼人), to the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A total of 30,000 tests will be provided in response to a request from the local INRB.
Since 2018, based on prototype development and its track record of use locally, the kit has obtained domestic manufacturing and marketing approval from PMDA, and in June 2024 received permission for use from the Congolese Ministry of Health. It has been confirmed to react to currently circulating viruses.
The test produces a result in approximately 10 minutes, can be stored at room temperature and requires no special equipment, making it suitable for use in areas far from urban centres where healthcare systems are underdeveloped. Its future use is expected to contribute to the early diagnosis and response to Ebola haemorrhagic fever.
Under its management plan, Mission 2030, Denka has identified healthcare as a priority area and has set out a policy of linking the prevention and early diagnosis of infectious diseases to the resolution of global healthcare challenges.