[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – The Duke-NUS School of Medicine has released a Covid-19 test kit that takes just one hour, rather than the usual days, to detect if someone has been infected before.
The new test can be used to see if potential vaccines work, to verify what proportion of the population has already been infected, and to trace contacts, which is critical as Singapore facilitates circuit breaker measurements.
It is available to hospitals here and is the first of its kind to detect specific antibodies, the weapon the human body uses against infection, which neutralize the coronavirus and prevent it from infecting a patient’s cells, the researchers said.
When someone becomes infected with the virus, the body produces hundreds, if not thousands, of different antibodies, which bind to the virus and are known as binding antibodies.
However, not everyone can neutralize the virus. This is the role of neutralizing antibodies.
The advantages of the new test over others currently in use are that it is rapid, can identify such antibodies, and can be used in regular investigations or in hospital settings rather than requiring specialized expertise and equipment.
At a virtual press conference on Friday (May 15), the medical school announced that it will develop and manufacture the kit, known as cPass, with biotech company GenScript Biotech Corporation and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A * Star) Diagnostic Development Center (DxD Hub).
There are also plans to partner with local biotech companies to increase production of the test kits.
The test can be carried out in most research or clinical laboratories, Duke-NUS said.
Other Covid-19 tests for such antibodies require the use of live viruses, cells, highly skilled operators, and complex laboratory procedures that are generally less sensitive and require several days to obtain results.
cPass was invented by a team led by Professor Wang Linfa, director of Duke-NUS’s emerging infectious disease program. The team also carried out trial and test development in Singapore.
Professor Wang said: “The cPass developed by our team can be used for contact tracing, reservoir or intermediate tracing of animals, evaluation of herd immunity, longevity of protective immunity and the efficacy of different candidate vaccines .
“It does not require a biosecurity containment facility, which makes it immediately accessible to the world community, including many developing nations.”
DxD Hub validated the kit with clinical samples from patients who enrolled in a study by the National Center for Infectious Diseases.
It also developed the manufacturing protocol and quality controls to ensure its provisional authorization by the Health Sciences Authority.
DxD Hub will also produce the pilot batch for use in Singapore hospitals. There are plans to transfer this knowledge to local biotech companies to increase production.
DxD Hub Executive Director Dr. Sidney Yee said: “This innovative cPass diagnostic kit will be critical to supporting the fight against the global pandemic.”
Ultimately, GenScript was responsible for proof-of-concept research, product design, and development and optimization, and will now play a central role in the commercialization process using its global network and manufacturing capabilities to launch cPass in Singapore and across the globe. world.
Professor Thomas Coffman, dean of Duke-NUS, said: “This innovative platform developed by our researchers will be extremely useful for rapid and reliable surveillance to determine how widely a population has gained immunity to the Sars-CoV-2 (virus).” .
“The partnership with GenScript and DxD Hub combines complementary strengths as we work together to combat this global outbreak.”
Dr. Zhu Li, chief strategy officer at GenScript, said: “The test results will be of great help to governments in guiding the resumption of work, as it is extremely useful for rapid and reliable surveillance to determine how widely a population has gained immunity to the Sars-CoV-2 virus. Detection of neutralizing antibodies determines who can return more safely to work or a more social life. “
[ad_2]
