Avacta Group has announced that the first Affimer-based rapid test strips to detect SARS-COV-2 spike protein have been evaluated by Avacta’s partners at Cytiva (formerly GE Healthcare Life Sciences) and show positive initial performance data.
In mid-May Avacta provided Affimer reagents that are specific to the SARS-COV-2 spike protein to Cytiv,a which has now developed the first lateral-flow test strips using these reagents and generated initial performance data using coronavirus spike protein.
These data show that the test strips detect the spike protein in model samples at concentrations within the clinical range found in saliva of patients with SARS-CoV-2. Work continues now to refine the test strip design, optimise its performance and get the best detection limit possible in order to generate the highest sensitivity in the final rapid test product.
Following the optimisation of the lateral-flow test by Cytiva, the design will then be transferred to manufacturing partners in the UK that are currently being put in place by Avacta. The company is working with these manufacturers to compress the normal manufacturing, clinical validation and regulatory timelines in order to bring a product to market as quickly as possible.