UTM® UNIVERSAL TRANSPORT MEDIUM™
UTM® Universal Transport Medium™ for Collection, Transport, and Preservation of Clinical Specimens for Viral Molecular Diagnostic Testing
UTM® Universal Transport Medium™ is an FDA-cleared collection and transport system suitable for the collection, transport, preservation, and long-term freeze storage of clinical specimens containing viruses for viral molecular diagnostic testing, including COVID-19, chlamydia, mycoplasma or ureaplasma organisms. The transport medium comes in a plastic, screw cap tube and maintains organism viability for 48 hours at room or refrigerated temperature.
Resources and Downloads
COVID-19 Collection & Transport Kits
During this unprecedented time, COPAN has compiled a COVID-19 resource page to facilitate answers to some of the frequently asked questions being received. Here you’ll find easy access to the evolving regulatory guidelines published by the CDC and FDA, COPAN’s distributor part numbers, and other resources about critical products that can be used for collecting, handling, and transporting specimens suspected of COVID-19.
Universal Transport Medium™
UTM® is an FDA cleared collection and transport system suitable for for collection, transport, and preservation of clinical specimens for viral molecular diagnostic testing, including COVID-19, chlamydia, mycoplasma or ureaplasma organisms. The transport medium comes in a plastic, screw cap tube and maintains organism viability for 48 hours at room or refrigerated temperature.
Clinical studies show that UTM® paired with COPAN FLOQSwabs® is equivalent to collections using aspirates and nasal washes for the diagnosis of respiratory virus infection. UTM® paired with COPAN FLOQSwabs® reduce costs and increase patient comfort when compared to nasal aspirates and washes.
Room Temperature, Reliable, Proven
- Room temperature stable system maintains viability of organisms for up to 48 hours and does not require refrigeration storage prior to collection
- UTM® has been tested and validated in full compliance with CLSI M40-A2: Quality Control of Microbiological Transport System Standard
- UTM® has been used successfully for Rapid Antigen Testing, DFA, and for Molecular-Based Assays *
Unique media formulation includes antibiotics to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth, without affecting viruses, chlamydia, mycoplasma or ureaplasma - A phenol red pH indicator provides a visual gauge of UTM Universal Transport Medium® integrity throughout the storage and life of the product
Always read the manufacturer’s package insert for specific instructions regarding specimen collection and transport for the type of test kit being used.
UTM® Viral Transport Videos
Convenient System with a Variety of Configurations
- Available in individual transport tubes in bulk or as patient collection kits paired with a swab. Molded breakpoint on swabs shaft for safe and reliable breaking of the swab into transport tube
- Skirted, flat-bottom tubes with distinctive internal conical shape enable easy centrifugation of samples and allows the tubes to stand upright on the laboratory bench.