COVID-19 roundup: FDA approves Abbott’s 5-minute test; plus Trump signs stimulus bill, WHO readies master protocol, CytoDyn mAb data and more

FDA granted emergency approval Friday to a trio of diagnostics for COVID-19, including a molecular point-of-care test from Abbott that can detect COVID-19 in minutes. The approvals came as President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion stimulus package into law and the WHO readied the start of its master protocol study.

The COVID-19 test from Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) can yield positive results in “as little as five minutes” and negative results in 13 minutes, according to the company. It will run on Abbott’s ID NOW platform, with the company making tests available next week to healthcare providers in U.S. urgent care settings. Abbott said it expects to ramp up manufacturing to deliver 50,000 tests per day...