- Achiko has received its first purchase order in Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia.
- The orders translate to 20,000 tests - while modest in size, the order is expected to pave the way to rapid adoption by other locations and countries.
- After consolidating the results of the first sales, the pilot project, and the data from the first production, the platform will be quickly scaled and supplemented with additional products.
- Following the receipt of the CE marking, the expansion into further countries will be initiated.
ZURICH, Switzerland, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR – On the heels of its announcements regarding a commercial pilot in Indonesia and initial production planning, Achiko AG (SWX: ACHI, ISIN CH0522213468) (“Achiko”, the “Company”) is proud to announce that it has successfully secured its first purchase orders of its Covid-19 testing platform and around 20,000 of its groundbreaking Covid-19 tests using AptameX™.
First Sales
The Company has secured contracts to deliver assurance services using Teman Sehat™ (“Health Buddy”), and subject to calibration, training and deployment, 20,000 of its AptameX-based tests kits to a handful of locations in Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia.
“We’re excited to be finally getting AptameX to market,” said Steven Goh, CEO of Achiko AG. “To our minds, Indonesia is representative of the challenges that many low and middle-income countries face when confronting Covid-19. As Covid-19 becomes endemic, we have a unique proposition by using a DNA aptamer rather than an antigen to deliver possibly a best in market test at a price point few others can meet. This is the first test kit on platform and will hopefully be the start of many.”
Deliveries are expected to commence in November 2021.
Indonesia
One of the largest countries in the world, Indonesia is a country with over 270 million people living in over 6,000 islands, speaking over 700 languages and has an indigenous population of over 70 million people.
The country was early to recognize the threat that Covid-19 posed, and the government has responded with a range of repeated measures from social distancing and testing to local therapeutics and vaccinations. A surge in cases and a jump in the death rates in the middle of 2021, brought about by the Delta variant, was met with lockdowns, a race to raise vaccination rates, and an increase in testing. In spite of this, vaccination rates in the country remain varied, with some places such as Bali, reporting vaccination rates amongst for people over 12 years of age to be over 80%, whilst the country as a whole reports the rate as over 30%.
“We need a solution that offers a sense of safety for visitors, one of which is by doing a regular screening process”, said Mr. Stanley Handjojo Widjaja, President Director of a prominent convention center in Denpasar, Bali. “The ecosystem offered by AptameX and Teman Sehat can provide the solution needed by both parties, visitors and the population alike. We believe this partnership with Achiko can help us to provide the necessary sense of trust and comfort to all our visitors and clients who will hold events and activities in our place with advanced screening testing using AptameX kit to create a Safe Zone.”
Against this backdrop and with AptameX and Teman Sehat working well with other systems, the Company believes that it can play a role in restoring trust and confidence especially in workplaces, manufacturing, healthcare, education, recreation, tourism, and other places.
Product Highlights and Implementation
The platform has two key elements in it, AptameX, a diagnostic test system, and Teman Sehat.
Unlike other rapid testing formats which rely on an antigen and a nasal swab AptameX is a saliva-based test and uses a DNA aptamer, a synthetic strand of DNA, instead of an antigen to detect Covid-19. This innovation in chemistry opens the door to a structural advantage over other rapid tests. Indications in the lab show a greater sensitivity even at low viral loads. At a high industry CT score of 28.3, AptameX delivered a sensitivity of 77% (95% CI: 75.94 – 79.24). The Company is currently calibrating the production test in the field and will report on results later this year.
Teman Sehat has two parts. Firstly, it is integrated with AptameX and reorganizes the diagnostics and billing process facilitating an easier testing process to lower the cost of testing to less than a few US-Dollars. Secondly, it offers check-ins on the app as a wrapper for tests, billing and providing public assurance for places. This second part can support external platforms including Pedulilindungi, the national certification system and offers advantages in payments, rewards, and user experience.
Combined, AptameX and Teman Sehat has the unique selling points of ease of use, speed, and cost to the end user. Comparatively, PCR testing is expensive and impractical in many cases, and many rapid tests have sensitivity issues and, whilst being cheaper than a PCR test, are still too expensive for frequent mass testing.
Next Steps
The next steps are the consolidation of feedback and data from the pilot programs, calibration on the ground and work with the supply chain to fulfill implementation and sales. Once the Company has confirmed that it can reliably manufacture, sell, and deliver tests in large numbers, it plans to scale quickly.
“From here, we intend to ensure that we can reliably manufacture, sell and deliver a great service in Indonesia,” added Steven Goh. “It is certain by now that Covid-19 is going to be around for a long time, and we’re in a good position to deliver assurance services to a wide range of workplaces and communities in Indonesia and everywhere else. First with AptameX as a leading product, followed by other complementary tests in the future. And with a CE Mark we expect to receive in the next few months, we’re extremely well positioned to replicate the model to other countries soon.”
ABOUT ACHIKO AG
Achiko creates and develops new innovations in healthcare technology through its biotechnology division, AptameX™, and its sister digital mobile health technology division, Teman Sehat™. The Company has created a unique healthtech capability that provides user-friendly diagnostic testing integrated with a digital passport solution for the management of Covid-19.
AptameX comprises of DNA aptamer-based technology that is cost-effective, chemically synthesized and widely applicable to the evolving diagnostic field of healthcare. Together with the digital mobile health app Teman Sehat, Achiko is developing potential technologies that seek to deliver rapid, affordable diagnostic testing for a range of pathogenic diseases and therapeutic indications. The AptameX technology is licensed from Regenacellx.sl and Achiko has exclusive commercialization rights.
Headquartered in Zurich, Achiko has offices in Hong Kong, Jakarta, Seoul, and Singapore.
Further information can be found at www.achiko.com.
Media contacts:
ACHIKO AG
Investor Relations
E: ir@achiko.com
Switzerland & Global
Marcus Balogh
Farner Consulting Ltd.
E: achiko@farner.ch
T: +41 44 266 67 67
U.S. & Global
Jeanene Timberlake
RooneyPartners
E: jtimberlake@rooneypartners.com
T: +1 646 770 8858
Disclaimer
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Achiko AG and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Achiko AG to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Achiko AG is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
