Oceanit recently spoke with Civil Beat journalist, Eleni Avendaño, about the ongoing trials and development of ASSURE rapid tests. Oceanit’s ASSURE is currently in clinical trials in multiple locations as the rapid tests advance towards submission to the U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Patrick Sullivan, Oceanit’s CEO, told Avendaño he still wants to see Hawaii’s biotech industry grow to include not only research and development but manufacturing as well. For Oceanit, this evolution would be an antidote to the islands’ economic woes caused by the pandemic and the state’s reliance on the tourism sector. Demand for cheap and user-friendly tests is expected to grow as schools, businesses and other public activities require a safe way to resume, even as more people get vaccinated.

“With some training, there is no reason we cannot transform some of the lost visitor industry jobs into good paying biotech manufacturing jobs,” Patrick Sullivan said. “Although we may manufacture the current tests in South Korea, we have not given up on our commitment to create a more diverse economy in Hawaii, even if it’s one brick at a time.”

Read the full story here.