GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) — An Ithaca-based biotechnology company with an office in Grand Island has been approved to use a new coronavirus test.

On Thursday morning, Rheonix announced that it had been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Rheonix COVID-19 MDx Assay.

Using respiratory samples, the fully-automated test enables the detection of the virus that causes COVID-19. Results become available the same day.

“Rapid diagnosis is critical in efforts to control the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Richard Montagna, Ph.D., FACB, senior vice president for scientific and clinical affairs at Rheonix. “We at Rheonix are grateful to the people on the front lines fighting the spread of the COVID-19 illness, and are proud to be able to support them with a rapid, accurate and automated tool to assist in their efforts.”

It’s not clear how this will affect the amount of coronavirus testing in western New York, but Rheonix says it has begun shipping the tests to high-need hospital laboratories.