Life sciences firm racing to develop rapid virus detection test
Wetherby-based Avacta Group says it is “well ahead of schedule” in its collaboration to come up with a new, much faster way of testing for COVID-19.
The listed developer of Affimer® biotherapeutics and reagents says that in four weeks it has generated Affimer reagents that bind the SARS-COV-2 viral antigen as part of its partnership with Cytiva.
The process of generating new Affimer reagents to detect the SARS-COV-2 viral antigen – which causes COVID-19 – was started in mid-March.
Multiple Affimer binders have now been generated that bind to the spike proteins of the SARS-COV-2 virus.
These Affimer binders will be transferred to Cytiva shortly for implementation in a point-of-care test strip, similar in appearance to a pregnancy test, giving a visual read-out in minutes using a sample such as saliva.
Avacta is in active discussion with other global diagnostic companies to develop Affimer-based COVID-19 antigen tests to increase mass testing capacity on a world-wide scale.
Dr Alastair Smith, chief executive officer of Avacta Group, said: “The speed with which highly specific Affimer reagents can be generated is just one of the many significant advantages of the technology.
“I would like to publicly thank Avacta colleagues who have worked long hours and weekends to make astounding progress and generate Affimer reagents against a novel virus in only four weeks and well ahead of schedule.
“The need for rapid antigen tests to diagnose COVID-19 infection that can be mass produced for professional screening of large populations, and for self-testing by consumers themselves, is crucial to limiting and tracking the spread of this disease.
“Antigen testing will also be critical to lockdown exit strategies around the world to get healthy, non-contagious people back to work to re-boot economies, and there will be an ongoing need for several years for antigen testing as the disease recurs.”
