AIMPLAS develops rapid antibody test that is more sensitive than commercial tests in detecting immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and UK variant
AIMPLAS has successfully completed a project started last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the project was to obtain a new rapid antibody test that would make it possible to screen for immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus by detecting the production of antibodies.
Clinical trials on the new test carried out in patients demonstrated antibody detection with a sensitivity of over 98% in samples from IgG/IgM positive patients, whereas the four commercial tests used for comparison purposes presented maximum IgG/IgM sensitivity of 65% to 80%. These sensitivity results were tested using the Snibe MAGLUMI® chemiluminescence immunoassay on a representative group of randomized patients at different stages of the immune response (early phase, moderate phase and acute phase).
Also detects the UK variant
The advantage of this test, which also detects the UK variant of the virus, is that it indicates the period of immunity acquired through the production of immunoglobulins during the illness, as well as the antibodies produced since vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, which will be particularly useful for monitoring the percentage of the population that is immunized in the current stage of the pandemic.
The process developed at AIMPLAS has been scaled up and can be implemented industrially for mass production of the tests. The current aim is to transfer the technology to companies, given AIMPLAS’ capacity to provide them with support and advice for implementation and optimization of the production process.
This new test has been developed within the framework of the call from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) announced at the end of March 2020 by the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society in collaboration with the AVI, which resulted in a shortlist of 41 projects that provide a response to health needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
