Copan Diagnostics

<h2 dir="ltr">What are VTM tubes?</h2>
 VTM tubes are pre-filled, screw-cap polypropylene tubes containing viral transport medium &mdash; an isotonic buffer designed to preserve virus viability and viral RNA between specimen collection and PCR or culture in the lab. The CDC reference formulation (SOP DSR-052) is Hank's Balanced Salt Solution with 2 % heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum, 100 &micro;g/mL gentamicin, and 0.5 &micro;g/mL amphotericin B &mdash; antibiotics that suppress contaminating bacteria and fungi without inactivating the target virus. Most are sold as 3 mL aliquots in a 10 mL or 15 mL conical tube. Buy from this category whenever a respiratory or other virus specimen must travel from the point of collection to a testing laboratory.
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<h2 dir="ltr">What You Will Find:</h2>
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<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Viral Transport Medium (VTM) Tubes &ndash; Medical-grade vials designed to maintain viral viability during transit.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Universal Transport Medium (UTM) &ndash; Versatile, bead-free systems for preserving viruses, chlamydia, and mycoplasma.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">DNA/RNA Shield Collection Tubes &ndash; Advanced tubes that lock in nucleic acid profiles and inactivate pathogens.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Smart Collection &amp; Transport Systems &ndash; High-performance vials and kits for streamlined diagnostic management.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Saliva Collection Kits &ndash; User-friendly funnel and vial systems for non-invasive, high-yield sampling.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Flocked Swab &amp; Medium Combos &ndash; Precision-engineered pairings for maximum recovery and immediate stabilization.</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr"> How to choose VTM tubes</h2>
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Verify the formulation against CDC SOP Confirm the medium follows CDC SOP DSR-052 (HBSS + 2 % HI-FBS + gentamicin + amphotericin B); some lots substitute 1 % bovine serum albumin or fluconazole &mdash; both are accepted variants, but the substitution should be on the certificate of analysis.
Check tube material and IATA compliance For specimen shipping, the primary tube should be polypropylene, screw-capped, and rated to 95 kPa internal pressure per IATA packaging instruction 650. MedSchenker tubes are 100 % polypropylene and 95 kPa compliant.
Match volume to the swab and assay 3 mL of medium in a 10 mL tube is the CDC reference fill for nasopharyngeal swabs; 1 mL or 1.5 mL versions exist for pediatric and difficult-to-collect specimens where dilution must be minimized.
Confirm storage and stability Standard VTM stabilizes respiratory viruses for about 72 hours at 2&ndash;8 &deg;C; some commercial formulations are room-temperature stable for up to six months. The MedSchenker Smart Transport Medium variant maintains organism viability for 96 hours at room temperature. 
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<h2 dir="ltr">Specifications context</h2>
 A VTM tube is defined by its formulation, fill volume, primary container material, screw-cap design, and validated stability window. The MedSchenker line is manufactured by Vectormed (a Vectornate company, headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey, and manufactured in South Korea), is FDA-cleared and CE-marked, and ships sterile in individual peel-pouch or bulk case packaging. As of 2026, MBP stocks 3.0 mL and 1.5 mL MedSchenker VTM formats and the Smart Transport Medium variant alongside paired flocked swabs.&nbsp; 
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Don&rsquo;t let your viral titers drop. Browse our VTM inventory and hit up the<a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us" style="color: #236fa1; text-decoration: underline;"> MBP team </a>for a custom quote today.

VTM Tubes

Safety Data Sheet

Package Insert

3 mL UTM Viral Transport Media in 12 x 80 mm Tube w/o beads

3C075N by COPAN Diagnostics — UTM® Universal Transport Medium, 3 mL in a 12 × 80 mm tube without beads, red cap, EtO-sterilized, IVD device. Bulk pack: 50 tubes/pack, 300 tubes/case. Storage 2–25°C; specimens at 2–8°C for ≤72 hours.

Manufacturer

<h2 dir="ltr">What are specimen collection swabs?</h2>
 Specimen collection swabs are sterile, single-use devices with a fiber tip on a plastic or wire shaft, used to acquire material from a patient's nasopharynx, anterior nares, oropharynx, wound, skin, or environment for diagnostic testing or microbial culture. Modern flocked swabs replace yards of wrapped fiber with perpendicular nylon or polyester fibers attached to the applicator, giving roughly 97 % specimen release on vortex versus about 33 % for traditional rayon or polyester. Buy from this category whenever specimen acquisition feeds a downstream culture or PCR &mdash; the swab determines whether the assay sees the analyte at all. 
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<h2 dir="ltr">What you will find:</h2>
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<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sterile flocked swabs for high-efficiency sample collection and release</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Polyester and rayon swabs for general microbiology sampling</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Nylon flocked nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Dry swabs for direct plating or molecular testing workflows</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Swabs with transport tubes for stabilized sample transfer</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Breakpoint swabs for easy release into collection vials</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr"> How to choose specimen collection swabs</h2>
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Match the collection site Nasopharyngeal swabs use long flexible shafts (~150 mm) and small flocked or molded tips designed to reach the posterior nasopharynx. Anterior nares swabs are shorter and gentler. Oropharyngeal and wound swabs come in foam or flocked variants depending on the target organism.
Choose tip material for the assay Flocked nylon or polyester is the default for respiratory virus PCR. Cotton, calcium alginate, and wood-shafted swabs are excluded by CDC guidance because cotton contains PCR-inhibitory fatty acids and calcium alginate inhibits PCR directly. Foam suits some bacterial cultures and rapid antigen tests.
Verify the breakpoint and the shaft A predetermined breakpoint at a defined distance from the tip (commonly 100&ndash;101 mm for nasopharyngeal swabs) lets the operator snap the shaft into the transport tube; shafts should be plastic or wire, never wood.
Confirm sterility and FDA listing Single-use sterile peel pouches are the clinical standard. Swabs are FDA Class I exempt devices; verify the manufacturer's FDA registration and listing on the certificate of conformity.
<h2 dir="ltr"> Specifications context</h2>
 Diagnostic swabs are characterized by tip material, shaft material, total length, breakpoint distance, and sterility status. Nasopharyngeal flocked swabs commonly measure about 150 mm overall with a breakpoint near 100 mm and a flexible plastic shaft; the MedSchenker CavSwab uses Allium&trade; flock technology on a 153 mm shaft with a 101.3 mm breakpoint. Specimen release ranges from roughly 33 % for traditional rayon/polyester up to about 97 % for flocked nylon. As of 2026, these sit in a low-to-mid price tier per swab and are typically sold in case quantities of 100 or 500.&nbsp; 
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For swab selection, material compatibility, and sample collection formats,<a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us"> the MBP team&nbsp;</a>can guide you to the most suitable option based on your testing method and workflow setup.

Swabs

Copan FLOQSwabs

502CS01 by COPAN Diagnostics — individually sterile nylon flocked swab with 80mm breakpoint. Perpendicular fiber tip design releases more than 90% of collected analytes into elution media. Qualified for molecular assays, bacteriology, rapid antigen testing, DFA, EIA, cytology, and virology culture. 100 swabs per pack; 1,000 per case.

Single Regular Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 80mm Breakpoint in Peel Pouch

Single Flexible Minitip Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 100mm BP

Single Minitip Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 80mm

Single Regular Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 100mm Breakpoint in Peel Pouch – Individually Packaged, Sterile

Single Regular Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 30mm Breakpoint in Peel Pouch – Individually Packaged, Sterile (Package: 1000 units)

Product Literature

Brochure

Sample Collection Packs

Flexible Minitip Flocked Swab with Liquid Amies Medium

482C by COPAN Diagnostics is the ESwab® Flexible Minitip Flocked Swab with 1 mL Liquid Amies medium — FDA-cleared for aerobic, anaerobic, and fastidious bacteria. Maintains organism viability up to 48 hours at room temperature (20–25°C) or refrigerated (4–8°C). Shelf life: 15 months.

Sample Vial

<h2 dir="ltr">What are Saline Tubes for Laboratory Sample Collection?</h2>
 Saline collection tubes are pre-filled, single-use tubes containing 0.85% sodium chloride (physiological saline) solution used as a simple, osmotically neutral transport medium for swab-collected specimens destined for microbial enumeration, environmental surface sampling, NAAT (nucleic acid amplification testing), and rapid antigen detection. Saline tubes do not contain growth-promoting nutrients, antimicrobials, or inactivating reagents, making them the preferred format when downstream tests require viable organism enumeration or when all-purpose compatibility across multiple assay platforms is needed. Choose saline collection tubes over viral transport media (UTM) or culture media when your primary need is NAAT compatibility with minimal matrix interference, or when no specific preservative is required by the laboratory receiving the specimen.
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<h2 dir="ltr">What you will find:</h2>
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<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pre-filled sterile saline tubes (0.85%&ndash;0.9% NaCl solution)</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Micro-volume saline tubes for specimen dilution workflows</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 mL to 10 mL fill volume saline tubes for laboratory use</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sterile screw-cap saline tubes for secure transport and handling</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Isotonic buffer tubes for cell suspension and sample preparation</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Microbiology saline tubes for culture and sensitivity testing</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr"> How to Choose Saline Collection Tubes</h2>
 Volume Per Tube Standard saline tubes are available in 2 mL and 3 mL fill volumes. A 3 mL tube dilutes the swab eluate less, providing a higher nucleic acid concentration for NAAT assays. A 2 mL fill is more compact for high-throughput automated processing. Confirm your laboratory's preferred fill volume before committing to a bulk order.
Tube and Swab Pairing Saline tubes are supplied with or without a swab. Tubes paired with a flocked (nylon) swab provide superior cell elution over rayon or Dacron swabs&mdash;critical for quantitative NAAT. Tube-only formats suit labs that pre-select their own swab type based on collection site (nasopharyngeal minitip, oral, rectal, or environmental surface swab).
Neutralizing Agent Requirement Standard 0.85% saline contains no neutralizing agent and is appropriate for environmental surface enumeration methods where additive-free media are required. For surface sampling in food or pharmaceutical manufacturing, confirm whether your method requires Dey-Engley neutralizer instead of plain saline.
Transport Temperature and Window Saline-suspended swab specimens should be transported to the laboratory at 2&ndash;8 &deg;C within 72 hours. Unlike UTM tubes (which maintain viability for 48 hours at RT or refrigerated), plain saline does not actively prevent viral or bacterial degradation. If same-day processing is not possible, choose UTM or a DNA/RNA Shield-based collection tube for nucleic acid targets. Regulatory Compliance Confirm any regulatory requirements for your testing setting. Saline collection and transport systems used for COVID-19 NAAT meet CDC interim specimen collection guidelines for SARS-CoV-2 when collected in 3 mL of normal saline per CDC protocols. For culture-based applications requiring anaerobic transport, choose Amies or Cary-Blair media rather than saline.
<h2 dir="ltr"> Specifications Context</h2>
 Physiological saline (0.85% NaCl) is osmotically neutral to human cells and most pathogens, preventing osmotic lysis during short-term transport. Saline collection tubes used in laboratory settings are manufactured from medical-grade polypropylene (PP) and are DNase-free, RNase-free, and non-pyrogenic when produced for molecular applications. The screwcap tube must meet leak-proof specification (95 kPa) for courier transport. Saline-based collection systems remain widely used in clinical microbiology and point-of-care settings because of their simplicity, low cost, and compatibility with automated NAAT platforms. Direct PO ordering and bulk pricing available for clinical and research labs across the USA, Canada, and worldwide.&nbsp;
 For specifications, volume options, or bulk supply support, <a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us">connect with the MBP team</a> to choose the right saline tube configuration for your laboratory needs.

Saline Tubes

Evaluation of Phosphate-Buffered Saline

Phosphate Buffer Saline- 3mL Tube

COPAN 0C038N is a 3 mL phosphate buffer saline transport tube (no swab) for clinical specimen dilution, transport, and elution prior to PCR and antigen testing. Supplied in cases of 300.

UTM® Medium and Swab Products

Single Flexible Minitip Flocked Swab Packaged with 3 mL UTM® Viral Transport Medium in 16x100mm Skirted Tube w/o Beads and Plastic Red Cap

3C057N by COPAN Diagnostics is a sterile flexible minitip nylon flocked swab pre-packaged with 3 mL UTM® Viral Transport Medium in a 16×100 mm skirted tube with red cap, without beads, 50 kits per pack and 6 packs per case.

ESwab Brochure

Single Regular Size Nylon Flocked Swab with 80mm Breakpoint packaged with 1 mL Liquid Amies Medium

480C ESwab by COPAN Diagnostics is an FDA-cleared sterile nylon flocked swab with 80 mm breakpoint and 1 mL Liquid Amies medium for collection and 48-hour transport of aerobic, anaerobic, and fastidious bacteria. 50 per pack.

<h2 dir="ltr">What are UTM Tubes?</h2>
 Universal Transport Medium (UTM) tubes are pre-filled collection and transport systems containing Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) enriched with proteins, a pH indicator, and antibiotics that maintain the viability of viruses, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma for 48 hours at room or refrigerated temperature. They are used in molecular diagnostics, viral culture, antigen detection, and NAAT-based workflows for respiratory, genital, and other clinical specimens. The Copan UTM&reg; (catalog 360C and related) is FDA-cleared and is cited in CDC guidelines as an acceptable transport system for SARS-CoV-2 specimens. Choose UTM tubes over plain saline when the specimen requires extended ambient-temperature stability, viral viability for culture, or compatibility with automated molecular diagnostic platforms validated for UTM matrix.
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<h2 dir="ltr">What you will find:</h2>
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<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pre-filled UTM tubes for viral and microbial specimen transport</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Swab-integrated collection systems for respiratory sampling</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">3 mL and 5 mL Universal Transport Medium tube formats</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sterile screw-cap tubes for secure clinical handling</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Buffered transport medium for pathogen stabilization</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal compatible sampling systems</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr"> How to Choose UTM Tubes</h2>
 Standard Tube vs. Round-Bottom (UTM-RT) Standard UTM tubes (12 &times; 80 mm, red cap, 3 mL) require swab removal and possible aliquoting before loading onto automated analyzers. The UTM-RT&reg; Round Bottom Tube is engineered for direct loading onto Roche cobas&reg; 5800/6800/8800 platforms without aliquoting or swab removal, saving processing steps in high-volume clinical labs. Choose UTM-RT if your laboratory runs cobas instrumentation at scale.
With or Without Swab Bulk media tubes (tube-only format) suit labs that stock their own swab type. Kit configurations pair UTM tubes with Copan FLOQSwabs&reg; (flocked nylon), which provide 10&ndash;100&times; greater cell elution than rayon or Dacron swabs, directly impacting the sensitivity of downstream NAAT and antigen tests. For nasopharyngeal specimens, the minitip FLOQSwab + UTM combination is the standard validated pairing.
Volume: 1 mL vs. 3 mL Fill A 1 mL fill is used when a higher specimen concentration is needed for sensitive assays or limited-volume extraction protocols. A 3 mL fill is the standard for most NAAT platforms. Using a 1 mL tube on a platform calibrated for 3 mL inputs may cause out-of-range results; always confirm volume requirements with your assay's instructions for use.
Bead Inclusion UTM tubes with 3 glass beads facilitate the release and dispersion of patient material from the swab tip during vortexing, improving homogeneity before aliquoting. For platforms that recommend homogenization (e.g., high-mucosity respiratory specimens), bead-containing UTM is preferred.
Regulatory Status For clinical diagnostic use, confirm that your specific UTM tube carries FDA 510(k) clearance. Copan UTM&reg; (K910043 and subsequent clearances) is FDA-cleared for collection, transport, preservation, and long-term freeze storage of clinical specimens and complies with CLSI M40-A2 standards. Verify product-specific regulatory status before deploying in clinical settings.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Specifications Context</h2>
 UTM contains HBSS supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA), sucrose, gentamicin, amphotericin B, and a phenol-red pH indicator. The antibiotic-antimycotic formulation inhibits bacterial and fungal overgrowth without affecting viral, Chlamydial, or Mycoplasmal viability. At ambient temperature (15&ndash;25 &deg;C) or 2&ndash;8 &deg;C, UTM maintains organism viability for 48 hours. For long-term storage of viral isolates, specimens can be frozen at &minus;70 &deg;C or colder; storage at &minus;20 &deg;C is specifically discouraged by Copan because it can result in loss of viral infectivity. UTM-RT has received CE-IVDR compliance marking. As of 2026, Copan UTM&reg; is carried by MBP and is a registered catalog item for institutional procurement customers.
 MBP is a registered vendor for Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Direct PO ordering and bulk pricing available.&nbsp;<a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us">Contact MBP</a> &mdash;they&rsquo;ll help you sort out the right UTM setup without second-guessing.

UTM Tubes

TUBES OF 3 ML UTM® UNIVERSAL TRANSPORT MEDIUM

COPAN UTM® 3C047N provides 3 mL of UTM-RT® Universal Transport Medium in 16×100 mm red-cap bulk tubes (300 tubes/case), without swab or beads, for viral NAAT testing including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Ureaplasma. IVD-classified, EtO-sterilised. Available from MBP Inc.