It’s the news Bethlehem’s OraSure Technologies Inc. has been waiting for. It announced today that it has received three Emergency Use Authorizations from the Federal Drug Administration for its COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

As the company quickly pivoted to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethlehem’s OraSure Technologies Inc. exited 2020 a stronger company with an 11% growth in sales -- $50 million of which was in COVID-19-related testing equipment alone.

Bethlehem’s OraSure has gotten the approval it needs for its saliva-based sample collection device.

OraSure Technologies has developed a saliva collection device that’s been included in an FDA emergency authorization grant to a Syracuse medical diagnostic development company for COVID-19 lab testing.

Tang and his team at OraSure are facing their biggest challenge yet, creating a test that will accurately and quickly determine if a person has been exposed to the COVID-19 virus.

OraSure Technologies of Bethlehem said it expects to launch its COVID-19 rapid antigen in-home self-test by the fourth quarter of this year.

Bethlehem’s OraSure Technologies, which makes diagnostic tests such as the OraQuick rapid HIV test, said it plans to buy a Boston-based company that works in the HIV field.

OraSure Technologies of Bethlehem said it earned a $710,310 contract from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop a pan-SARS-coronavirus antigen rapid in-home self-test. The test uses saliva samples and provides results in 20 minutes.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. honored Bethlehem-based OraSure Technologies for its contributions to the life sciences industry and growth as a company that produces medical diagnostic tests.

OraSure Technologies Inc. of Bethlehem has sold its cryosurgical systems business to another Bethlehem biotechnology firm, CryoConcepts LP, for $12 million.