Jungang Gloworks Progresses Export of 200,000 COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits to Russia

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Joongang Ocean's medical device distribution subsidiary, Joongang Gloworks, announced on the 28th that it has received a purchase order (PO) for 200,000 COVID-19 rapid test kits (approximately 1.67 billion KRW) from the Russian company 'MedTechServise' and is currently proceeding with the export.

In June, Joongang Ocean announced that it would officially enter the medical device distribution market through Joongang Gloworks. This export agreement with Russia is the first achievement, raising expectations. MedTechServise plans to purchase an additional 500,000 COVID-19 test kits in the future. A Joongang Gloworks official stated, “We have received the PO from Russia and are discussing specific supply methods. This achievement will be reflected in the third-quarter performance,” adding, “We also expect export negotiations with China, Mexico, and others to proceed.”

In June, Joongang Ocean signed a supply contract worth 1 billion KRW for COVID-19 rapid test kits with the medical device specialist company Vivaio, and these kits will be supplied first for the Russian export. Joongang Gloworks has a partnership with Vivaio and holds joint domestic and international distribution rights for the rapid test kits produced by Vivaio. Joongang Gloworks plans to expand its product portfolio to include PCR test kits while securing supply rights for rapid test kits.

Vivaio completed the development and production facility setup for rapid test kits in March, and has finished preparations for overseas market entry, including clinical trials, registration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and European product registration (CE) in May. Currently, it has a production capacity of 1.5 million kits per month.

Vivaio’s diagnostic kits offer a testing time of 10 to 30 minutes and an accuracy rate of up to 95%. They allow easy and simple sample collection and testing anywhere, without the need for expensive analyzers.

Meanwhile, Vivaio is a medical device specialized developer engaged in in vitro diagnostic equipment development, facility manufacturing, raw material supply, and technology transfer. As a blood glucose meter manufacturer, it has been recognized in overseas markets since its founding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.