DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS [Abstract]

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

NOTE 1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS:

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. (“Chembio”) and its subsidiaries (collectively with Chembio, the “Company”) develop and commercialize point-of-care rapid tests used for the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, sexually transmitted disease, and fever and tropical disease. Coupled with the Company's extensive scientific expertise, its novel DPP technology offers broad market applications beyond infectious disease. Chembio’s products are sold globally, directly and through distributors, to hospitals and clinics, physician offices, clinical laboratories, public health organizations, government agencies, and consumers under the Company’s DPP, STAT PAK, SURE CHECK and STAT-VIEW registered trademarks or under the private labels of the Company’s marketing partners.

The Company has been expanding its product portfolio based upon its proprietary DPP technology platform  that provides high-quality, rapid diagnostic results in 15 to 20 minutes using a small drop of blood from the fingertip or alternative samples. Through advanced multiplexing, the DPP platform can detect up to eight, distinct test results from a single patient sample, which can deliver greater clinical value than other rapid tests. For certain applications, Chembio’s easy-to-use, highly portable, battery-operated DPP Micro Reader optical analyzer then reports accurate results in approximately 15 seconds, making it well-suited for decentralized testing where real-time results enable patients to be clinically assessed while they are still on-site. Objective results produced by the DPP Micro Reader can reduce the possibility of the types of human error that can be experienced in the visual interpretations required by many rapid tests.

All DPP tests are developed and manufactured in the United States and are the subject of a range of domestic and global patents and patents pending.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company refocused its business strategy on the development and commercialization of the DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG System, which consists of a new serological test for COVID-19 and a Micro Reader analyzer. In the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company developed, received regulatory approval in the US, Brazil and Europe, and commercialized the DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG System, which provided numerical readings for both IgM and IgG levels of antibodies to the virus, and began developing its strategy for a portfolio of products both related to and expanding beyond COVID-19. On June 16, 2020, the U.S. FDA Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") revoked the Company’s Emergency Use Authorization ("EUA") for the DPP COVID-19 System in the U.S., and the Company immediately began developing a revised version. The Company submitted an application for EUA to the FDA for its new rapid antibody test system, DPP SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG on September 8, 2020.

On July 6, 2020, the Company received a $628,071 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Division of Research Innovation and Ventures ("BARDA") to assist the Company in developing a COVID-19 point-of-care antigen system using Chembio’s proprietary DPP technology and submitting an application for EUA to the FDA for the system. On October 15, 2020, Chembio submitted the EUA application for the DPP SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test system, which was designed to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigens in only 20 minutes. The DPP SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test system consists of a DPP SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test cartridge, a DPP Micro Reader optical analyzer and a minimally-invasive nasal swab.

In addition to its DPP COVID-19 rapid test products, the Company has a broad portfolio of infectious disease products, which it expects to generate a diminished amount of revenue for the foreseeable future both due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and while it focuses on the development, manufacture, and commercialization of DPP COVID-19 products. Through Research & Development (“R&D”) Services, the Company is developing tests in collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

Large and growing markets have been established for these types of tests, initially in high prevalence regions where they are indispensable for large-scale prevention and treatment programs. More generally, the Company believes there is and will continue to be a growing demand for diagnostic products that can provide accurate, actionable diagnostic information in a rapid, cost-effective manner at the point of care.

Through R&D Services, the Company develops tests for third parties using its DPP platform and, in limited cases, other platforms in projects that the Company believes have the potential to create value for the rest of its business. In addition, the Company routinely enters into arrangements with governmental and non-governmental organizations for the funding of certain R&D efforts.