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SINGAPORE – On Thursday (September 17) local biotech company Veredus Laboratories released a Covid-19 test kit that greatly reduces the time it takes to diagnose a patient.
Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing process, the VereRT Covid-19 PCR Kit makes it possible to detect the virus directly from the sample, without having to extract its viral ribonucleic acid (RNA).
For this purpose, a specially formulated preservation buffer is added to the sample to stabilize and preserve the viral RNA, saving time of around 40 minutes and reducing the total processing time of the test to 90 minutes.
A PCR test involves a two-step process to extract viral RNA before amplifying the DNA to identify the Sars-CoV-2 virus. It usually takes more than two hours.
The new test kit requires 10 copies of RNA from the viral sample to detect the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The company said this was comparable to most traditional PCR test kits on the market.
The test kit has also obtained provisional authorization from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for supply to hospitals and medical clinics for use in patients to diagnose Covid-19.
Using the same PCR method, the ZeroPrep Saliva Collection Kit from the same company can test for Covid-19 directly by taking saliva samples from the patient.
Veredus Laboratories CEO Rosemary Tan said: “Saliva tests can be self-administered. Unlike swab tests, they do not require trained medical personnel to perform the swab procedure and are a non-invasive method for those who sit down. uncomfortable with the swab. “
Patients are expected to collect 1 ml of their saliva into a funnel, which is then mixed with the solution to preserve the virus RNA.
The saliva test kit, however, has a lower sensitivity rate compared to the nasopharyngeal swab test kit, although it can still detect asymptomatic patients, Dr. Tan said.
The saliva test kit requires at least 25 copies of RNA in the sample to detect the virus.
It is currently pending HSA approval for local use, but the team has set its sights on exporting the test kits to markets where saliva testing has been authorized, such as Japan.
Both test kits have achieved a 99 percent accuracy rate in testing for Covid-19.
“This direct testing method for Covid-19 is the next step for us as we seek to increase the testing capacity of health authorities and laboratories by reducing the complexity of the workflow in molecular testing for Covid-19,” Dr. Tan said.
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