Burlington, North Carolina-based Labcorp’s first-of-its-kind diagnostic offering uses a collection device from Weavr Health and is offered through its Labcorp OnDemand platform.
The company said in a news release that it’s the only commercial laboratory to provide HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) testing and the only one to receive approval from the New York State Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program for testing using the Weavr Velvet blood collection device, allowing for the diabetes risk test to be made available nationwide.
Labcorp designed its OnDemand diabetes risk test to use a dried blood technology to offer a snapshot of the body’s average blood sugar levels over time through a fingerprick. Weavr Velvet separates plasma and red blood cells for the analysis of the sample, keeping it contained, safe and stable for transport and testing. Following collection, the device is returned to Labcorp through a prepaid FedEx envelope.
“Diabetes is a serious disease affecting millions of people in the United States,” Labcorp Diagnostics CMO and President Dr. Brian Caveney said in the release. “Our Labcorp OnDemand diabetes risk test at-home collection kit now makes it easier for consumers to understand their diabetes risk and health status using an innovative and approved collection device. This test offers a convenient way for more people to manage their health and stay informed, so they can seek treatment that may lead to better health outcomes.”
The company said samples collected with the Weavr Velvet device demonstrated better than 97% accuracy when compared to traditional blood draws. The device was co-developed for HbA1c testing by the two companies through an equity investment made by Labcorp, as Weavr remains the device owner.
“Through our collaboration with Labcorp, we are able to bring safe, efficient testing to doorsteps across the country,” Weavr Health CEO Linh Hoang said. “Our goal is to create innovative testing solutions so that people in all communities have access to life-saving diagnostics and feel empowered to take control of their health.”
