SourceBio International plc

("SourceBio", the "Company" or the "Group")

National Framework contract tender for Covid-19 testing products and services

SourceBio International accepted for UK-wide National Microbiology Framework (Lot 4) tender

and

Further COVID-19 Government testing approvals for Day 2 and Day 8 testing

SourceBio International plc (AIM: SBI), the international provider of integrated state-of-the-art laboratory services and products, announces that it has been successful with its tender for the Lot 4 Framework Agreement under Public Health England's ("PHE") National Microbiology Framework to provide its Clinical Laboratory Diagnostic Testing Services.

PHE's National Microbiology Framework

PHE's National Microbiology Framework is appointing suppliers to framework agreements in four lots. Lot 4 covers Clinical Laboratory Diagnostic Testing Services, utilising new and existing techniques to ensure that there are consistent and affordable provision of high quality, safe and compliant testing services which should be delivered efficiently and effectively to support wider clinical services. The term of the Framework Agreement for Lot 4 is for an initial two years with the option to extend by up to a further two years. 

Under the National Microbiology Framework, participating public health authorities across the United Kingdom can use any of the 50 qualifying companies of Lot 4 to call-off contracts to procure goods and testing services. One of which is SourceBio, however this agreement is not exclusive to SourceBio and does not guarantee orders.

SourceBio continues to invest into its capacity in order to meet the current requirements for centralised testing. The Group is well placed to react to new strains of the virus and to respond with speed, utilising its experience working with the Department of Health and Social Care ("DHSC") for surge testing and in operating mobile testing laboratories.

Further COVID-19 Government testing approvals for D2/D8 testing

The Group also announces that it has been added to the UK Government's approved list as a private provider of day two and day eight ("D2/D8") coronavirus testing for all international arrivals for both SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing and SARS-CoV 2 genome sequencing testing services.

The COVID-19 testing services provided by SourceBio meet the DHSC's 15 minimum standards and have been reviewed by UKAS, a national accreditation body recognised by the UK Government to assess against international agreed standards.

From 15 February 2021, international arrivals were required to self-isolate for 10 days on return to the UK and take a polymerase chain reaction ('PCR') test on day two and day eight of the passenger's quarantine period. If the day two test result is positive and meets the DHSC sequencing criteria, it requires sequencing in a laboratory for surveillance purposes in order to monitor variants of concern and variants under investigation, the results of which are reported directly back to Public Health England. Both PCR testing and sequencing can be undertaken in the Group's own laboratory facilities.

SourceBio has added the D2/D8 service to its COVID-19 services with immediate effect and its tests can be ordered directly from the Company's website: https://www.sourcebioscience.com/.

Jay LeCoque, Executive Chairman, SourceBio International, said: "We are very encouraged with the successful tender award under Lot 4 of the Microbiology Framework and welcome the opportunity to work with PHE and its sister organisations across the NHS and DHSC in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We will continue to contribute our Clinical Laboratory Diagnostic Testing Services to help contain Covid-19 in the near-term and are pleased to participate in creating a robust testing infrastructure post-pandemic.

We are pleased to be supporting the COVID-19 testing efforts. This DHSC approval with regards to day two and day eight testing further confirms the competency of our services and positions SourceBio International as a leading player in the market."  

Contacts: 

About SourceBio International plc www.sourcebiointernational.com

SourceBio is a leading international provider of integrated state-of-the-art laboratory services and products with clients in the healthcare, clinical, life science research and biopharma industries, with a focus on improving patient diagnosis, management and care. Group revenues are derived from four core businesses areas:

·    Infectious Disease Testing - a range of COVID-19 testing services for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the NHS, Private Healthcare groups and Commercial enterprises. Utilising various technologies (RT-qPCR, LamPore and LAMP) SourceBio offers both screening and gold standard COVID-19 testing and operates under the ISO: 15189 accreditation required by the DHSC for COVID-19 test services. SourceBio offers employee testing solutions to industry, home testing kits (including 'Fit to Fly' and 'Test to Release' approved tests) and operates Mobile Testing Unit laboratories to support event and venue testing.

·    Healthcare Diagnostics - histopathology and clinical diagnostic services for the NHS and private healthcare across the UK and Ireland.

·    Genomics - DNA sequencing services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academia, contract research organisations (CROs) and other research groups in the UK, Europe and North America.

·    Stability Storage - shelf-life testing services and equipment for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract manufacturers and analytical testing companies from around the world but primarily in the UK, Ireland and the USA.

More details on Group operations can be found here: www.sourcebioscience.com

SourceBio International plc (SBI) is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.