Real-time NAT enables remote COVID-19 testing
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Mar 30, 2020 - Real-time NAT enables remote COVID-19 testing
Sydney, Australia, 30 March 2020: An Australian biotech has helped develop a mobile COVID-19 testing system that delivers highly accurate results within an hour, potentially slowing the spread of the virus.
The Mic (pronounced Mick) instrument from Bio Molecular Systems is portable, meaning it can take patient samples and analyse them on the spot. That makes it ideal for use in remote or vulnerable communities, third-world countries, cruise ships and even mine sites.
The Mic is a portable Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) system, which uses quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR). Known as "molecular photocopying," PCR is an efficient method to amplify small segments of DNA to enable accurate analysis and identification of genetic material, including the COVID-19 virus.
Unlike traditional instruments, the Mic can process samples at the source rather than having them be sent to a large central diagnostic laboratory or hospital for analysis, a process which can take several days to produce results.
BMS provides the instrumentation and it has collaborated with partners to help develop the assay tests. Its partners include Life River in China and Codiagnostics in the USA. Life River was one of the first companies to release a test for COVID-19.
The Mic analyses samples on-site and the COVID-19 tests can process almost 50 samples in 90 minutes.
BMS chief scientist Dr Valin Reja said the Mic combined with the COVID-19 test also provides more sensitive results than other gold standard testing currently being used around the world.
Our system can improve the results from the test because it has higher sensitivity to low levels of the COVID-19 virus, Dr Reja said.
We can detect lower levels of the virus than current tests. Thats good news because the earlier we detect, the sooner the patient can isolate and the sooner they stop spreading the virus, he said.
Its possible for humans to carry low levels of COVID-19 without showing symptoms of the virus, but they can still pass it onto others. If these asymptomatic people are tested and quickly diagnosed as carriers, they can make a significant contribution to flattening the curve by going into social isolation.
Speed is critical in a pandemic situation. Detecting and isolating people who are in the early stages of infection will make a significant difference to slowing the spread of COVID-19, Dr Reja said.
As with other COVID-19 tests, the kits run on the MIC have emergency use authorisation from the FDA and are also CE IVD, the European regulator. Due to the pandemic, no test kit for COVID-19 has gone through full regulatory approval yet. All tests in Australia must first be benchmarked against the current gold standard test developed by the Public Health Laboratories. The Mic is currently undergoing this process, as well as benchmarking with the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
More than 200 Mic machines are already being used worldwide for COVID-19 testing.
Instrumentation from BMS has been used extensively in testing for last years veterinary Swine Flu epidemic in China as well as for Dengue fever and the Zika virus in third world countries. And by using innovative design, the MIC costs less than other instruments, reducing the cost burden on the healthcare system.
Media contacts
Mellissah Smith, Marketing Eye - 0412 994 994
Dr Valin Reja, Chief Scientist BMS - 0408 412 916
About Bio Molecular Systems (BMS)
BMS is a biotechnology company that designs, manufactures and distributes instrumentation for the life sciences sector. It was established in 2010 and has a reputation for rapid innovation and product innovation.
BMS is based on the Gold Coast that has state of the art technology for both R&D engineering and manufacturing. It has a second site in Sydney for testing its devices. By directly controlling all phases of production, BMS can optimise quality control, minimise overhead costs and ensure the most rapid product development cycles.