Any-Shape is today launching the mass production of nasopharyngeal swabs, produced entirely using 3D printing, for Covid-19 screening.
At the start of pandemic in Europe, a great shortage of sampling devices, primarily nasopharyngeal swabs (NS) was observed in Belgium and in many other European countries. Indeed, the majority (>90%) of the swabs used around the world with different labels are manufactured by the same Italian company.
Any-Shape fully "redesigned" the swab so that they could produce them fully using 3D printing. A clinical study was carried out with Liège University Hospital (CHU) based on this new swap, first in the laboratory and then with around 100 patients. The results were positive and led to this swab being approved by the FAMHP for immediate sale. Demand is huge: we are talking about the need for approximately 20,000 swaps a day for the next four to six weeks, just for Belgium. Any-Shape will produce almost 100,000 swabs a week, starting this weekend.