In April 2020, HEM LLC launched the first Russian production of registered virus transport systems with and without medium at the production site of POLIGEM LLC. The systems are used, among other things, in testing for coronavirus infection. Sterilization of the goods is carried out by Rosatom State Corporation.

The system is a set consisting of a stylus probe and a tube hermetically sealed with a screw cap, with or without medium for the virus, in an individual package. It is a culture medium intended to preserve and maintain the viability of microorganisms from the moment a sample is collected until it is analysed in the laboratory. The transport medium contains substances that prevent the multiplication of microorganisms but guarantee their preservation.

"Transport systems are designed for microbiological and molecular research in the diagnosis of a wide range of infectious diseases, resistance of microorganisms to therapeutic agents, sampling for sanitary microbiology. The emergence of such systems is particularly relevant during COVID-19. To avoid the destruction of coronavirus RNA in media not intended for its transport and to exclude false-negative results, it is necessary to sample the virus in specialized virological transport media containing antibiotics and virus-stabilizing agents, which are just launched into production. This is why the contribution of such systems in the light of the pandemic is difficult to overestimate," said the spokesperson.

The use of transport systems with viral medium for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is recommended:

• The Interim Guidelines "Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19);
• WHO "Laboratory testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in suspected human cases" (Interim guidance, 19 March 2020);
• CDC "Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens from Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)" (May 5, 2020).

GEM LLC is currently developing for in-house production of viral medium transport systems in various modifications:

• GEM transport system with modified virus medium with universal and nasopharyngeal probe-tampon;
• HEM transport system with modified virus medium with a universal stamphon probe;
• GEM transport system with virus medium modified with nasopharyngeal probe-stamp; GEM transport system with virus medium modified with nasopharyngeal probe-stamp;
• HEM transport system with modified virus medium with a universal and nasopharyngeal probe-stamp and an additional cover;
• GEM transport system with modified medium for viruses with a universal probe-stamp and an additional cover;
• Transport system HEM with modified medium for viruses with nasopharyngeal probe-stamp and additional cover;
• Transport system HEM with medium for viruses with universal and nasopharyngeal probes and additional cover;
• GEM transport system with virus medium with nasopharyngeal swab probe and additional cover;
• GEM transport system with virus medium with a universal probe-stamp and an additional lid.

The process of purchasing and debugging of the production lines of these transport systems and its accessories is being carried out.

About the company

"HEM" is the first and oldest Russian company on the market of supplying products for laboratory medicine of different profiles, founded in 1988. In 2013, the company initiated the creation of the "Central Factory of Ready Media" (CFGM), Russia's first production of ready-to-use nutrient media in petri dishes compliant with Russian and international standards. Manufacturing of media on the basis of the Russian production site allows producing high quality and inexpensive products which are available to every domestic laboratory.

Company "GEM" successfully develops competence in the field of expertise and audit of microbiological laboratory. Company mission: "Contribute to the nation health strengthening, becoming a leader in providing Russian laboratories with modern and affordable consumables to make the work of medical personnel safe and beautiful, diagnostic studies -standard, and the results -reliable".

Continuous innovations and application of modern approaches to the production of goods for laboratory diagnostics approved "HEM" position as a leader in this segment of the market. For today the company equips not only medical and industrial laboratories of Russia, but also carries out deliveries to the CIS countries, Asia and Europe.

"HEM" regularly receives awards for its work, becomes a winner of numerous national competitions. For example, the company is a laureate of the All-Russian competition "1000 Best Enterprises and Organizations of Russia of the XXI Century" in different years, the winner of the competition "Moscow Entrepreneur - 2009" in the category "Production of drugs, products and medical equipment", has a medal "Best supplier of public procurement - 2015", the diploma "Best supplier of medical products" all-Russian competition "Goszakaz - Fair Procurement", is included in the Federal Register of conscientious suppliers.