Spartan Bioscience files for creditor protection after issue with COVID-19 rapid test
by The Canadian Press
Last Updated Apr 6, 2021 at 1:58 pm EDT
OTTAWA — The Canadian maker of a rapid COVID-19 test has filed for creditor protection after pausing shipments of the product due to a recently identified issue with the system.
Spartan Bioscience Inc. says the problem is not a safety issue.
The Ottawa-based company says it’s seeking protection from creditors while it restructures its operations and refines the test’s performance.
Spartan says it’s laying off 60 employees, or around 70 per cent of its workforce.
Despite the challenges, Spartan says it remains committed to mobile DNA-testing technology in the fight against COVID-19.