Procurement of an assay to measure severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in human blood samples for the UK Biobank study of seroprevalence of COVID-19

UK Biobank is conducting a study of seroprevalence of COVID-19 in the population of up to 20,000 of its participants and their adult children and grandchildren (the "Study"). The Study (which is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care) aims to collect blood samples from study participants each month for an initial period of six months and measure these samples to assess the extent of previous infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (by measuring blood antibodies) in different locations and age groups across the UK. In order to enable the Study, UK Biobank needed a supplier to provide an assay which could be used to measure blood antibodies. There was an urgent need to identify a supplier of an assay to enable UK Biobank to design the study - in particular the method of blood collection - to enable the study to start without delay. The study needed to start as soon as possible to enable UK Biobank to report the assay results to DHSC to assist the DHSC in its monitoring of COVID-19 in the population as part of its urgent public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst it is UK Biobank that has entered into the contract directly with the assay supplier, the DHSC will be remunerating the supplier direct (rather than payment being made through UK Biobank)