EVALUATION OF VTMs
Last updated: 16 March 2023

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), as the National Reference Laboratory, is mandated to perform the evaluation of commercially-manufactured in vitro diagnostic medical devices, in collaboration with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The huge increase in testing has put pressure on the laboratory supply chain and resulted in shortages of viral transport media (VTM). In support of the national COVID-19 response, the Institute has undertaken evaluation of laboratory test kits as well as VTM and swabs.

Evaluation of the VTM is done by infecting the swabs with known Influenza A and Influenza B clinical samples and is subsequently submerged into the VTM. The VTM is tested in parallel with commercially available swab/VTM combinations (reference kit) for Real-time PCR detection of Influenza following WHO recommended protocol. Acceptability of the product is dependent on the generated PCR values if comparable with the reference kit.

Read more about the guidelines on the evaluation of in vitro diagnostic medical devices and other related laboratory diagnostic supplies for COVID-19 here.

results

# Transport Media Manufacturer Catalog number Passed Date Performed
Yes No
1 Universal Transport Medium (UTM) Copan, USA 305C P 2014
2 Sansure sample storage reagent Sansure Biotech Inc. P March 31
3 Biologix transport media Biologix Group Limited P April 4
4 Sanli Virus specimen collection tube Liuyang, Sanli Medical Technology Devt. Co P April 9
5 Asan Universal Transport Medium Puritan Medical Products Co. LLC P April 28
6 Noble Bio Universal Transport Medium Noble Biosciences Inc.
Clinical Diagnostics Products		 P April 28
7 Dewei RNA preservation kit Dewei Medical Equip. Co. Ltd. P May 5-6
8 Biocomma transport and preservation medium Biocomma Limited Ltd. P May 5-6
9 Genesis transport media Genesis Lifetech Marketing P May 6-7
10 Remel MicrotestTM M6TM Transport media Thermo Fisher Scientific P May 5-6
11 VTMTek Pack Manila HealthTek, Inc. P May 6-7
12 Date Bioengineering specimen preservation reagent Guangzhou Date Bioengineering Technology Co., Ltd. P May 23-26
13 Citotest Labware Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Date Bioengineering Technology Co., Ltd. P May 23-26
14 Kangjian Virus Collection and Preservation system Jiangsu Kangjian Medical Apparatus CO.,Ltd. P June 24- 25
15 Suntrine Viral Transport Medium with swab Taizhou Sun Trine Biotechnology Co., Ltd 902101 P June 24- 25
16 Specimen Collection Kit With Flocked Swab Vegas Biotech P June 24- 25
17 Hi Viral Transport Medium HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd P July 16-20
18 Virus Sampling Tube (Type 1 –Activated) Hebei Chaoran Medical Instruments Co. LTD. CR502-19A (Type 1 –Activated)
CR502-19C (Type 2 –Inactivated) 		P September 8
19 Disposable Sample Collection Kits Nodford International Co., LTD NFV-101 P September 18
20 Linger Virus Sampling Tube Lingen Precision Medical Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. MTM-04, T01 P September 18
21 Purflock Ultra Sterile Flocked Collection Device Puritan Medical Products Company 25-3317-U P September 28
22 Zybio Disposable Virus Sampling Tube Zybio Inc. VTM:Inactivated10ml-2 P September 28
23 Biologix Transport and Preservation Medium (classic and inactivated) Biologix Group Limited 19-1301 (Classic) ; 19-1302 (Inactivated) P October 12
24 Babio Virus Transport Kit (Non-Inactivated) Jinan Babio Biotechnology Co., Ltd. D384564 P October 12
25 Bioteke Disposable Virus Sampling Kits (Activated and Inactivated) Bioteke Corporation Co., Ltd. ST-9001-1 (Activated) ;ST8001-1 (Inactivated) P October 30
26 Bruner Disposable Specimen Collection Tube Liuyang SANLI Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd. SL901B P October 30
27 Prime Store Molecular Transport Medium (MTM) Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics LLC Prime Store MTM 3ml P November 11
28 NEST Disposable Sampler (Inactivation Transport Medium and Virus Transport Medium) Wuxi NEST Biotechnology., LTD 202038 (Inactivation Transport Medium)
202018 (Virus Transport Medium)		 P November 11
29 MANTACC Disposable Sampling Kit Miraclean Technology Co. Ltd. MANTACC-UTM10.0 P December 2
30 1st Base Viral Transport Media Apical Scientific CUS-7020-3ml P December 9
31 Longsee One-off Sampling tube Guangdong Longsee Biomedical Co., Ltd 3mL/T P December 9
32 Shandong Chengwu Medical disposable virus specimen collection Shandong Chengwu Medical Products Factory P December 15
33 CDRICH Single Use Virus Specimen Collection Tube. Chengdu Rich Science Industry Co., Ltd. Type I (with inactivator) P December 15
34 bioBoaVista (BBV) Viral Transport Media (VTM) bioBoaVista, Valinhos, Sao Paulo Brazil P January 6, 2021
35 Citoswab Virus Collection and Transport Kit Citotest Labware Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 2118-1524-99 P January 26, 2021
36 Citoswab flocked swab Citotest Labware Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Ref. No.:20609017 P January 26, 2021
37 Citoswab flocked swab Citotest Labware Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Ref. No.:20609017 P January 26, 2021
38 BioSci Disposable Virus Sampling Tube Shenzen Dakewe Bio-engineering Co. Ltd. Classic (Catalogue No. FBY)
Inactivated (Catalogue No. MBY)		 P February 09, 2021
39 BD Universal Viral Transport Medium Becton, Dickinson and Company, 7 Loveton Circle Sparks, Maryland 21152 USA BENEX Limited Shannon, County Clare, Ireland Catalogue No. 220220 P March 04, 2021
40 Bioer Viral Transport Medium Nippon Genetics Co., Ltd. Koraku Mori Bldg.,18F, 4-14 Koraku 1-Chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0004, Japan Catalogue No. BSC85X1-B1 P March 04, 2021
41 Biocomma Transport And Preservation Medium Biocomma Limited B1605-B1606, Life Science Park, Shenchengtou Creative Factory, Julongshan Rd, Xiuxin Community, Kengzi St. Pingshan Dist, Shenzen China Catalogue No (YMJ-TE11). P March 24, 2021
42 Biocomma Transport And Preservation Medium Biocomma Limited B1605-B1606, Life Science Park, Shenchengtou Creative Factory, Julongshan Rd, Xiuxin Community, Kengzi St. Pingshan Dist, Shenzen China Catalogue No (YMJ-TE5). P March 24, 2021
43 Biocomma Nasopharyngeal swab and Oroharyngeal swab Biocomma Limited B1605-B1606, Life Science Park, Shenchengtou Creative Factory, Julongshan Rd, Xiuxin Community, Kengzi St. Pingshan Dist, Shenzen China (NPS) (Ref. SW01E) (OPS) (Ref. S101E) P March 24, 2021
44 Bioer Sample Preservative Fluid Hangzhou Bioer Technology Co., Ltd. 1192 Bin An Rd. Binjiang District, 310053 Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China. 2.0 ml sample preservation fluid colorless (Catalogue No. BSC85X1-A), P March 24, 2021
45 Copan eNAT COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION FOR NUCLEIC ACIDS Copan Italia SpA via Perotti 10 25125 Brescia, Italy (Catalogue No. 608CS01P) P March 24, 2021
46 Disposable Virus Sampling Kit (Lituo Virus Transport Media) Zhuhai Lituo Biotechnology Co., Ltd. No. 35, Yongan Three Road, Hongqi Town, Jinwan District, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. (Model: Non-Inactivation) P March 24, 2021
47 Disposable Viral Transport Tube With Swab (Vincen) Anhui Wensheng Medical Materials Co. Ltd. No. Dong Mei Road, Boyan Science and Technology Park, High-Tech District, Hefei, Anhui, China (Catalogue No. WS2010) P March 24, 2021
48 Copan Universal Transport Media (UTM)- RT Copan Italia SpA via Perotti 10 25125 Brescia, Italy
www.copanitalia.com		 Catalogue No. 3E056N P May 4, 2021
49 Topoct disposable virus sampling tube Shenzhen Topoct Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. B-703, Haikexing Industrial Park, No. 16, Baoshan Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
http://www.topoct.net		 P May 4, 2021
50 Jiangsu Viral Transport Medium Jiangsu Huaxiaruitai Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. Catalogue No. VTM-M P May 14, 2021
51 Citoswab transport medium Ciitotest Labware Manufacturing Co., LTD Catalogue No. VTM-N P May 15, 2021
52 Tianqi Viral Collection and Transport Kits “Hunan-Tech New Medical Systems Co., Ltd 2nd Building, south district of high tech zone, Huaihua, Hunan province, 418000, China” Catalogue No. TQD00611 P July 5, 2021
53 Bruner Viral Collection and Transport kit; VTM-N (Inactivation) “Hunan-Tech New Medical Systems Co., Ltd. 2nd Building, South District Of High-Tech Zone, Huaihua, Hunan province, China www.hntq.com” Catalogue No. TQD00621) P July 5, 2021
54 Bruner Viral Collection and Transport kit; (Non-Inactivation) “Hunan-Tech New Medical Systems Co., Ltd. 2nd Building, South District Of High-Tech Zone, Huaihua, Hunan province, China www.hntq.com” Catalogue No. TQD00612) P July 5, 2021
55 EasyNat disposable sample collector kit “USTAR BIOTECHNOLOGIES (HANGZHOU) LTD. Fl 8, 3766 Nanhuan Rd, Binjiang Dist, Hangzhou, Zhejian, China 310053” Catalogue No. U40038 P July 5, 2021
56 MGIN Viral collection kit “MGIN Co., Ltd. SK V1 Center 1-Dong 514-Ho , 155, Misagangbyeonhangang-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea” Catalogue No. MGIN V2077.01 P July 5, 2021
57 Biobase disposable virus sampling tube kit (Active Type) “Biobase Biodustry (Shandong) Co., Ltd. Biobase Biodustry Park, Crossing of Jingshi East Road and Mingbu Road, Mingshui Economic Development Zone Zhangqiu, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China” Catalogue No. DR1126-A22H P July 5, 2021
58 Biobase disposable virus sampling tube kit (Inactive type) “Biobase Biodustry (Shandong) Co., Ltd. Biobase Biodustry Park, Crossing of Jingshi East Road and Mingbu Road, Mingshui Economic Development Zone Zhangqiu, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China” Catalogue No. DR1132-A22H P July 5, 2021
59 Biocomma transport and preservation medium “Biocomma Limited Ground FL, Bldg 12, Zhonghaixin Industrial Park, Ganli Six Rd, Jihua St. Long Gang Dist. Shenzenn, 518114 P.R.. China” Catalogue No. YVJ-TE4 P July 5, 2021
60 Zybio disposable virus sampling tube “Zybio Inc. Floor 1 to Floor 4, Building 30, No. 6 of Talkang Road, Block C of Jiangiao Park, Dadukou District, Chongging, China 40082 “ Inactivated-3 P August 3, 2021
61 Origin Viral Transport Medium “Origin Diagnostics and Research OPX III/601 Priyanka Building, Vavvakkavu, Kollam, Kerala, India “ Catalogue No. OVT01 P August 3, 2021
62 Uni-medica disposable viral sampling tube “Shenzen Uni-medica Technology Co. Ltd. Room 202, Block 6th, LiuXian Culture Park, XiLi Town, Nanshan District, Shenzen, Guangdong Province, P.R. China “ Catalogue No. : VST-01, 3.0 ml Classic medium Catalogue No. : VST-02, 3.0 ml Inactivated medium P August 3, 2021
63 Biobase disposable virus sampling tube II “Biobase Biodustry (Shandong) Co., Ltd. Biobase Biodustry Park, Crossing of Jingshi East Road and Mingbu Road, Mingshui Economic Development Zone Zhangqiu, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China “ Inactive type – 2ml P August 6, 2021
64 Biobase disposable virus sampling tube II “Biobase Biodustry (Shandong) Co., Ltd. Biobase Biodustry Park, Crossing of Jingshi East Road and Mingbu Road, Mingshui Economic Development Zone Zhangqiu, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China “ Inactive type – 3ml P August 6, 2021
65 Run mei Viral transport medium “Hunan Run mei Gene Technology Co., Ltd Room 401-1, Building 3, Shanhe Medical and Health Industrial Park, No. 1048, Zhongqing Road, Shaping Street, Kaifu District, Changsa, Hunan Province, China “ Inactivated P August 12, 2021
66 AB transport medium (ABTM) AB Medical, Inc. 6-24, Nanosandan 5-ro, Nam-myeon, Jang-seong-gun, Jeollanam-do, 57428 Korea Catalogue No.: ABTM P September 23, 2021
67 Da An Gene specimen preservation reagent Da An Gene Co., Ltd. of Sun Yat-sen University Catalogue No.: DA0970 P September 23, 2021
68 IdentiVTM- Viral Transport Medium Jeev Disgnostics Pvt. Ltd., 657/A, Babu Jagjeevanram Street, Kundrathur Road, Gerugambakkam, Chennai, India, 600128 Catalogue No.: VA101B P September 30, 2021
69 Inactivated Biocomma transport and preservation medium “Biocomma Limited B1605-B1606, Life Science Park, Shenchengtou Creative Factory, Julongshan Rd, Xiuxin Community, Kengzi St, Pingshan Dist, Shenzen, China “ Catalogue No.: YMJ-TE4 P September 30, 2021
70 Encode multipurpose viral sampling system (Non-inactivated and Inactivated) “Zhuhai Encode Medical Engineering Co., Ltd. Honghui 2nd RD Hongqi Industrial Zone, Jiwan District, Zhuhai,P.R China(519090)” Catalogue No. : VTM1101 P October 28, 2021
71 Ningbo sample preservation solution “Ningbio Shone Ned-Tech Co., Add: NO 388 Huxian Road Gaoqiao Town Haishu District Ningbo City China” Catalogue No. : VTM-N ; SH-SPW P October 28, 2021
72 Poweray disposable virus sampling tube “Shenzhen Poweray Biotechnology Co., Ltd A Building501, 16-1 Jinhui Road,Jinsha Community, Kengzi Street, Pingshan District” Catalogue No. : Pr01 P October 28, 2021
73 Citoswab transport medium Citotest Labware Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Catalogue No. : 2118-0419 P October 28, 2021
74 Sanli disposable virus specimen collection tube Liuyang SANLI Medical Technology Development Co., Ltd. Catalogue No. : SL901B P November 3, 2021
75 Disposable Virus Specimen Collection Tube “Changsa Renji Medical Equipment Co., Inc. Building B8. ,No. 18 Xiangtai Road, Changsa E Center, Liuyang Jingkai District, Changsa City, Human Province China “ (Inactivated-3) P December 15, 2021
76 Zybio Disposable Virus Sampling Tube “Zybio Inc. Floor 1 to Floor 4, Building 30, No. 6 of Talkang Road, Block C of Jiangiao Park, Dadukou District, Chongging, China 40082 “ (Inactivated-3) P December 15, 2021
77 LAS transport medium “LAS Inc. , 16 Arayuk-ro, Gimpo, 10136, Korea Tel No.: +82-2-3486-0911/2 Fax No.:. +82-31-985-9157 Email address: info@las.kr “ Model Name: LASwab VTM Kit P April 7, 2022
78 Meidike Gene disposable virus sampling kit “Medico Technology Co., Ltd. Rom 201 of Building 14th and Bilding 17th, Hengyi Lane, Yuanhu Road, Zhangbei, Industrial Park, Longcheng Street, Longgang district, Shenzen Guangdong, China Tel. No. : (86) 0755-28997664 Fax No.: (86) -0755-28646977 “ Product Code: MVTM-10A P June 21, 2022

Results of RITM evaluations do not, in any way or form, represent a Certificate of Product Registration or Certificate of Authorization issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Institute is making this information available for public good and does not serve to endorse companies, manufacturers, or product brands for commercial purposes.