Mologic, a developer of lateral-flow and rapid diagnostics, has announced its rapid antigen self-test for SARS-CoV-2 has been selected by the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative launched by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The initiative aims to speed innovation in the development, commercialisation and implementation of technologies for testing. Mologic’s easy-to-use nasal swab test is intended for use by non-health professionals at home and accurately indicates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein in approximately 20 minutes.
Mologic’s independently verified lateral-flow technology combines all reagents in a unique design, and integrates reporting of results. The self-test can be used by a person without medical training at the point-of-need, including home, workplace, education and travel settings. Limit of detection and analytical sensitivity have been independently assessed by St George’s University of London, led by Dr Elisabetta Groppelli.
Mologic aims to ensure affordable access to its SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics across all health systems, with low-income countries being given access to tests at cost through commercial and distribution partnerships. This will help to improve early detection and contact tracing in places with weaker health systems and vulnerable populations. Mologic has a long-standing partnership with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar on its flagship manufacturing facility, diaTROPiX, focused to provide quality diagnostics at cost for the African continent.
Mologic is also making this self-test design available to its customers and partners across a broad range of self-test applications, through the company’s contract research and manufacturing programme.
Dr Elisabetta Groppelli commented: "We often hear that viruses are invisible, but we simply need the right technology to see them. So far, testing technologies have existed in diagnostic and research laboratories. But it is now crucial that testing becomes more accessible. Our work in the research laboratory at St George’s University of London shows that the new home tests developed by Mologic offer the high-quality specifications that are needed to see the virus, but without the requirement for specialist expertise or laboratory. This is fantastic news because, if we can see the viral enemy, we will be able to tackle it much more effectively.”