The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that a coronavirus test that Los Angeles officials have offered to tens of thousands of residents for free since spring can produce "the risk of false results, particularly false negative results."
The test is administered by Curative, which produces 10% of the nation's daily tests and has administered over 11 million tests. The company operates the largest testing site in the country at Dodger Stadium. The year-old company run by Fred Turner has grown quickly and acquired contracts with the Air Force. It also tests members of Congress and is used by several major cities.
<p>To reduce the false results, the FDA warns to test "symptomatic individuals within 14 days of COVID-19 symptom onset."</p><p>But in Los Angeles and elsewhere, the company often tests non-symptomatic individuals. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said he had hoped that making the tests widely available would reduce the spread of the virus. His office did not reply to repeated requests for comment. </p><p> The FDA did not indicate how frequently incorrect test results were produced, but according to Curative's own non-peer-reviewed studies, it has a false negative rate at around 10%.</p><p>Turner has argued that the rate is better than most of the nasal swab testing out there and oral tests, which can be self-administered, are the only way the country can reopen quickly.</p><p>But the FDA warns that false negative tests can lead to consequences like delayed treatment and lack of monitoring of infected individuals, which could lead to an increased risk of spreading the virus. </p><p>The agency said a negative result from Curative "does not rule out COVID-19 and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions."<br/></p><p>The Los Angeles company was originally created to detect sepsis but pivoted to COVID testing efforts <a href="https://dot.la/coronavirus-rapid-test-curative-los-angeles-2645906983.html" target="_self">early last year</a>.</p><p>"We have been working with the agency to address their concerns and these limitations, and we will continue to work interactively with FDA through the Emergency Use Authorization process," Curative spokesman Pasquale Gianni said in an emailed statement. </p><p>He added: "Curative's test has been validated and is being offered during the pandemic under an Emergency Use Authorization, and is labeled with specific warnings, precautions, and limitations that FDA reiterated in the Safety Communication. The test performance and labeling, however, have not changed, nor has the company observed any changes in test performance."</p><p>In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Garcetti reiterated that the FDA's guidance does not impact the tests' use on symptomatic people, and defended the city's testing of asymptomatic individuals, saying that one-third of people who test positive for COVID are asymptomatic. </p><p>"This test is used by both symptomatic and asymptomatic people in countless jurisdictions, by the United States Congress, by NBA," he said. "Let's be clear about what the FDA said: For people with symptoms, they didn't issue any further guidance. It works. There's no issues. And that's been two thirds of all the tests."<br/></p><p>He added that the false negative test rate in asymptomatic individuals is similar to other tests. <span></span></p><p>"What the FDA guidance says, like any test, is that you have to do it and use it correctly," he said. "So I'll remind people, if you're going to use this test, you have to cough, vigorously, three to five times."</p><p>It is unclear what prompted the warning from the FDA. Officials there did not respond to requests for comment, but it did not alter Curative's emergency use permit.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Curative Inc. Brings COVID-19 Testing Kiosks to Los Angeles - dot.LA ›
- Curative Founder Fred Turner on Next Steps For COVID Testing ... ›
- Here's How Curative, Inc, Plans to Roll Out Coronavirus Testing to ... ›
- Curative's COVID Tests Will No Longer Be Used in LA County - dot.LA ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read more
Show less
Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, county health officials and private labs are ramping up COVID-19 testing capacity as people anxious to visit family flock to centers and cases rise.
Los Angeles County has recently added some 6,000 appointments to testing locations across the region and expanded testing hours. This week, LAX started offering COVID tests to fliers for $150, just ahead of what is normally one of the busiest travel seasons.
It comes as coronavirus cases have surged back to alarming levels and demand for testing rises. Wait times at county testing stations are now running 10 to 20 minutes, and they could grow in the weekend leading up to Thanksgiving as more seek testing.
<p>Experts warn that a test doesn't guarantee that travelers won't bring the virus to Thanksgiving dinner. </p><p>"There isn't a testing strategy that makes Thanksgiving 'safe'," said Omai Garner, director of clinical microbiology at UCLA, who oversees testing for UCLA Health. "Thanksgiving should only be celebrated within households that have been pods through the pandemic."</p><p>The rise in cases led Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to impose a "limited stay-at-home order" between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m for a month starting Saturday. </p><p>Still, as coronavirus cases swell across the country, lines at testing centers are getting longer. And private labs are preparing for the holiday season. </p><p>Curative Inc., which has administered two million tests in L.A., saw a 35% increase in testing this week. In that time alone, the startup ran 25,000 COVID tests. And other labs are opening up more sites. </p><p>Spokesman Ken Sanderman said the company is gearing up for more by expanding hours of operation at some testing sites including Dodger Stadium. That location will stay open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. </p><p>"We are anticipating a surge in patients coming to get tested through the rest of the year with the holiday seasons and rates rising, and have prepared in anticipation," Sanderman said.</p><p>Other labs, like Santa Monica-based Quantgene, are opening new test sites almost weekly. The startup that once supplied mostly production studios opened its second walk-in site — this one in Culver City — on Tuesday. </p><p>Spokeswoman Rachel Strohmeyer said the company is looking into opening more locations in East L.A. More clients are scheduling appointments to get nasal swab tests before travel, a trend "we only expect to continue," she said. </p><p>This week, the CDC warned Americans <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">against traveling</a> for Thanksgiving and urged them to celebrate at home instead. California has sent more counties back into the most restrictive category in the state's <a href="https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reopening scheme</a>. Over 94% of the state's population rests in that purple tier, including L.A. County.</p><p>The county is strongly encouraging residents to "not use testing as a permission slip to engage in unsafe activities," according to an emailed statement from the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management. </p>
Read more
Show less
GoodRx earned dot.LA's top 2020 Startup award on Wednesday, beating out the popular sneaker reseller GOAT, the meditation application Headspace, mobile gamer Scopely and viral-video app TikTok.
"GoodRx started in Los Angeles, and will always be a Los Angeles-based company," said co-CEO Doug Hirsch. "We're so excited about the support we've received over the last decade from both entrepreneurs and investors and just incredible people that make up the ecosystem here in California and specifically in Los Angeles."
<p>GoodRx was the first Los Angeles tech company to go public this year. It's mission to lower the prices of prescription drugs for Americans has made it one of the most-downloaded medical apps in the country. </p><p>"We're excited for the future and we appreciate the recognition," he said. </p><p>dot.LA wrapped up its inaugural Summit with the 2020 Startup Awards that honor the ingenuity and creativity propelling the startup scene in Southern California. More than 120 nominations were received from dot.LA's audience. The winners were chosen by a blue ribbon panel of judges, along with more than votes from the public. </p><p>Other winners included Entrepreneur of the Year, Tala CEO <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/person/shivani-siroya" target="_blank">Shivani Siroya</a>, <a href="http://curative.com/" target="_blank">Curative</a> for Pivot of the Year, Blavity CEO <a href="http://www.morgandebaun.com/" target="_blank">Morgan DeBaun</a> for Rising Entrepreneur, <a href="https://www.openpath.com/" target="_blank">Openpath</a> for Rising Startup and Social Justice Award went to <a href="https://www.actoneventures.com/team-and-community" target="_blank">Act One Ventures partner Alejandro Guerrero</a>.</p><p>"We wanted to use this opportunity to shine a light on some of the most exciting, most driven and most world-changing people in companies in our world today," said dot.LA CEO Sam Adams. <br/></p>
Pivot of the Year: Curative Inc.
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTExNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjU5MTI5NX0.pM73tZDRm3V9A5JyHu-R1NjWai-HOH7TuGI-Ga6P-lY/img.png?width=980" id="4dba0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="267f3b38acca6bfb5532720fad230a8b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="526" data-height="526" /><p>Curative was founded earlier this year by Fred Turner, an Oxford dropout. His company was then based in the Bay Area and tested for sepsis before it pivoted to provide COVID testing. As the pandemic emerged, he established a lab in San Dimas with the help of local venture capitalists that would eventually become Curative's home base. The company's saliva- based tests now account for about 10% of all testing nationally and Curative has an exclusive deal with the city of Los Angeles to provide testing.</p><p>"On behalf of our CEO Fred Turner and everyone who just want to thank you," said Curative spokesman Pasqualle Gianna. As you know, we pivoted from sepsis testing to COVID testing." </p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><strong>Quantgene: </strong>The company typically offers AI-powered blood test systems for early cancer detection but now provides COVID testing and logistics for those going back to work. </p><p><strong>Swoop:</strong> The startup focused on group transportation but developed software that limousine charter operators and their suppliers, could utilize during the pandemic as regular business dried up.</p><p><strong>PRISM Bags:</strong> This company planned to launch their signature product, a woman's work bag but as the pandemic beared down created one suited that included mask pockets. </p><p><strong>WELL Health Inc.:</strong> Funded and engineered the Rapid Release Program in March '20, which allowed health systems to manage urgent COVID-19 patient communications at scale.</p>
Social Justice Award: Alejandro Guerrero
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTE4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODg3MDA5NH0.fQxq4punqafEMqsX3dMO9HXRclVmF30A1jttfz9oE7s/img.jpg?width=980" id="6335e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9b45abeacaa70b07c0267c0b4ac201b2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="200" data-height="200" /><p>More than 20 VCs have signed onto to Act One Ventures partner Alejandro Guerrero's <a href="https://dot.la/diversity-in-venture-capital-2647102305.html" target="_blank">Diversity Rider Initiative</a>.</p><p>The firms have pledged to add language in term sheets submitted to startups that they will make their "commercial best efforts to offer and make every attempt to include as a co-investor in the financing" at least one Black check writer or other underrepresented group."</p><p>Guerrero is the child of Mexican immigrants who said he often found he was the only person of color in the room when investment deals north of six figures were being made. He said he was inspired by the George Floyd protests and the push the industry to recognize long-standing inequities.<span></span><br></p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><span></span><strong>Candace Walker, Co-Founder of Just US app</strong>: Created a hands-free voice control app that notifies your designated contacts when you've been stopped by police.</p><p><strong>Derek Smith, Founder of Plug-In South LA</strong>: Created a tech startup community and accelerator program for entrepreneurs from under-represented backgrounds; produced the Urban Tech Connect conference.</p><p><strong>Lolita Taub, Co-Founder and GP at The Community Fund</strong>: First-generation Latinx operator and investor that launched a $5 million early-stage fund to invest in community-driven companies.</p><p><strong>Miki Reynolds, Executive Director, Grid110</strong>: Leads a no-equity, LA-based accelerator for underrepresented founders</p>
Rising Entrepreneur: Morgan DeBaun
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTE5My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2OTIzNTEyMn0.r7zAFlGHbq9H9YoMEGPkq5LOILhQMO5EVXnASBuqTaY/image.png?width=600&coordinates=49%2C0%2C49%2C0&height=600" id="3949a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="835305e0ba6360729fece3121835b003" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>Morgan DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a leading news company and media brand for Black millennials and Gen Z. The outlet has been a leading voice for diversity. She launched Blavity in 2014; it now reaches over 30 million millennials a month. </p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><strong>Cristina de la Peña</strong>, CEO & founder of Synapbox</p><p><strong>Jessica Nouhavandi</strong>, co-CEO of Honeybee Health</p><p><strong>Ksenia Yudina</strong>, CEO of UNest</p><p><strong>Robert Luo</strong>, CEO & founder of Mi Terro</p>
Rising Startup: Openpath
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTE5NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NzgyNjk4N30.WnCzEMK8t00pSE9kZok98bAnFbNhaKEMmxUpJdGeb30/img.jpg?width=980" id="30855" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5821d2b30f5f8bef78c7e781f8e7508e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" /><p>The property-tech firm provides s touchless-entry activated by one's mobile device to doors, gates, elevators and lobby check-ins. </p><p>James Segil and Alex Kazerani co-founded Openpath in 2016 along with Chief Technology Officer Rob Peters, Chief Security Officer Samy Kamkar, and Chief Revenue Officer Phil Goldsmith.<br></p><p>The company recently raised $35 million and has seen their value proposition become all the more useful in the post-pandemic era.</p><p><span></span>"I'm incredibly honored and humbled to be here amongst so many great entrepreneurs and great companies here in L.A.," Kazerani said. "On behalf of about 450,000 Openpath users and our entire team, we really want to thank <a href="http://dot.la/" target="_self">dot.la</a>"</p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><strong>Pipe</strong>: A platform that offers non-dilutive financing to SaaS companies through an instant cash advance against the full annual value of software subscriptions. </p><p><strong>PlayVS</strong>: Connects online games with official school administration and branding, elevating Esports from hobby to school-sponsored activity.</p><p><strong>Outer</strong>: A direct to consumer outdoor furniture brand.</p><p><strong>Wave</strong>: An entertainment technology company that turns performers into digital avatars and puts them on virtual stages.</p>
Entrepreneur of the Year: Shivani Siroya
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTIyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODExMDE0MH0.-7cpyf3kFWbULeT2TtnBegrjpYnPJO-nnyrqGeUhnmU/img.jpg?width=980" id="6ed7b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d71bd28ff9f08d1728227d1326c998f2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="219" data-height="230" /><p> Shivani Siroya is the CEO and founder at <a href="https://tala.co/" target="_blank">Tala</a>, a fintech company that offers microloans to people that often don't have a formal credit history. The company has extended $1 billion in microloans to 4 million customers in emerging markets and was last valued at $700 million. Siroya has been named one of Forbes' "40 under 40."</p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><strong>Alex Canter</strong>, CEO and co-founder of software company Ordermark</p><p><strong>Andrew Peterson</strong>, CEO and co-founder of Signal Sciences</p><p><strong>Doug Hirsch </strong>and<strong> Trevor Bezdek</strong>, co-founders and co-CEOs of GoodRx</p><p><strong>Imran Khan</strong>, fo-founder and CEO of Verishop</p>
Startup of the Year: GoodRx
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDYyOTI0Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDEwMDYyNX0.6-l952IAHHCBtktsdktNPjD1Jei1TeSFy9Ij_3b71hE/img.jpg?width=980" id="331e0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e7abea2960ef53726b8d60446a278b86" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1400" data-height="444" /><p>The prescription-discount app GoodRx became one of the first Los Angeles tech companies to go public this year.</p><p>Co-founded by former Facebook executive Doug Hirsch and Trevor Bezdek, the Santa Monica company makes money by collecting fees from pharmacy benefits managers.</p><p>GoodRx is the most downloaded medical app in the United States and boasts 70,000 pharmacies on its platform. It's also profitable. The company earned $54 million in profit for the first six months ending in June, up from $31 million over the same time last year.</p><p>The company expanded into telehealth with the purchase of Heydoctor in 2019. </p><p><strong>Finalists</strong></p><p><strong>GOAT</strong>: Fast-growing global luxury shoe and apparel retailer.</p><p><strong>Headspace</strong>: A meditation app that recently raised $100 million in debt and equity.</p><p><strong>Scopely</strong>: A mobile video game company that acquired FoxNextGames from Disney in January. </p><p><strong>TikTok</strong>: The video-sharing platform was the top grossing app on iOS App Store globally in Q2 2020.</p>From Your Site Articles
- The dot.LA Summit Focuses on L.A.'s Growing Startup Scene - dot.LA ›
- GoodRx Stock Plummets After Amazon Announcement - dot.LA ›
- Los Angeles' Top Entrepreneurs, as Picked by its VCs - dot.LA ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read more
Show less