SCIENTISTS have marked two years since launching the world’s first commercially available PCR test for Covid-19.

Roche Diagnostics UK, based in Burgess Hill, was among the first to analyse the genetic sequence of the virus with its test made available on March 13, 2020, and rolled out to the frontline NHS in just three weeks at an unprecedented pace.

The company has since developed more than 20 diagnostic tests for Covid-19 to support the response to the pandemic.

Over the last two years, nearly ten million tests were supplied by the firm, with distribution co-ordinated from the company’s Sussex headquarters.

Geoff Twist, managing director of Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, said: “As a country, we have sacrificed so much these past two years but we have also seen its very best, from the dedication of our NHS workers and the resilience of our communities, to the remarkable innovation of our scientists.

“I’m so proud of the part Roche Diagnostics played in the pandemic response and our teams who worked day and night to support the NHS and provide the country with vital Covid-19 tests in record time.

“But our resolve and commitment doesn’t end here. The NHS has another huge mountain to climb in the months and years ahead and the untapped potential of diagnostics can play a significant role in helping to tackle the unprecedented waiting lists created by the pandemic and future challenges.”

Founded in 1896, the company is one of the world’s largest biotech companies and claims to be a world leader in in vitro diagnostics.