Benzinga | Jan 7, 2021 04:21PM EST

Labcorp Awarded CDC Contract To Study Variants Of COVID-19 Virus And Improve Public Health Response

Genomic Sequencing Aims to Help Define Changes in Transmission and Identify New Mutations

Labcorp (NYSE:LH), a leading global life sciences company, today announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide genomic sequencing of samples of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

This sequencing will aid the CDC in its goal of conducting a large-scale longitudinal genomic survey of the virus using a random set of samples collected from across the United States. The survey aims to provide important baseline information for national and state-level surveillance, help define changes in transmission, identify new variants of the virus, and improve the public health response to the virus. Through this program, the CDC aims to more than double the rate of genomic samples sequenced per week.

Labcorp will sequence the genomes of random de-identified samples that test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and will provide the CDC with completed sequences. This sequencing data will be combined with the results of similar efforts undertaken by national, state, academic, and private labs to help meet the CDC's target goal.

"Better decision making starts with better data, and we are eager to help the CDC in its effort to improve the nation's understanding of this virus and how to effectively fight it," said Dr. Marcia Eisenberg, chief scientific officer at Labcorp. "This sequencing survey is a critical project to ensure our knowledge of COVID-19 improves even as the virus may mutate and change."