As the deadly coronavirus is rampaging its way through China and spread throughout the world to other countries the Centers for Disease control and prevention, based in Atlanta, has been working around the clock to research and create a path to stopping the virus. Other commercial ventures have been working to develop detection kits to reduce the chance of false diagnosis. Based in Atlanta, BP Genomics has launched a molecular test that detects only the 2019 strain of the coronavirus. They have collaborated with a number of partners to develop a kit that extracts the RNA from a swab or saliva collection device, purifies the sample and runs a molecular test known as qPCR to detect the 2019_nCoV strain of the virus.
Since the first announced reports of the illness in the city of Wuhan on December 31, 2019 there have been more than 28,000 confirmed cases of individuals infected with coronavirus (2019-nCoV). According to Johns hopkins university mapping system, there have been over 560 deaths and over 25 countries affected.
It is important to note that people can spread the virus before showing symptoms which increases the need for molecular testing prior to showing symptoms. The CDC is closely monitoring the situation and Alex Azar, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, elevated the threat to a public health emergency in the U.S
Molecular Detection Specifics
BP Genomics specializes in molecular kits for the extraction, purification and detection of nucleic acid. This kit combines highly sensitive rna extraction to partner with the purified Rna and combined with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay that specifically targets the unique genome sequences of the 2019-nCoV strain of the virus. This combination of techniques delivers the highest level of assay performance and gives the clearest path to a proper decision on treatment.
The kit is designed to run on a number of molecular testing platforms so that it is suitable for large and small labs. The kit is stable at room temperature and eliminates the fear of degradation during shipping.
MIchael Statham, CEO of BP Genomics, said “we are in talks with a number of labs around the world to offer the kits as a research use-only product for the development of internal LDT( laboratory developed Test) in order to take full advantage of the EAU( emergency use authorization) issued by the FDA.”
Worldwide Effort
A number of other molecular diagnostic companies are rushing to make kits on their platforms to help reduce the time to diagnosis and increase accessibility to testing worldwide. Other companies are still monitoring the situation. In a roundup of comments on the potential impact of the coronavirus.