Editor’s Note: The World Health Organization recently announced the name of the 2019 coronavirus outbreak as “Covid-19”. The following article has been edited to reflect this distinction.
Since the initial posting of this article, several more companies have announced newly developed technologies for the purpose of combating Covid-19. These announcements have been added in paragraphs 18-20.
By Diagnostics World News Staff
February 6, 2020 | The diagnostic community has been quick to respond to the recent outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) that originated in Wuhan, China. Several companies have announced commitments to combating the virus, either through funding or technology application.
Overcoming the Covid-19epidemic requires rapid and accurate detection and diagnosis, according to the Huo-Yan Laboratory, or “Fire Eye” lab, an emergency test laboratory run by BGI and designed to handle 10,000 samples daily to detect Covid-19, who officially started trial operation in Wuhan.
The lab will greatly increase the speed of testing novel coronavirus cases so that suspected infections can be eliminated or confirmed as soon as possible.
The Huo-Yan Laboratory will provide sufficient testing capabilities for Wuhan and surrounding cities, and provide support for the diagnosis of patients, the screening of high-risk groups, the identification of suspected cases, the isolation of positive infections, and the protection of healthy people.
Elsewhere, Baidu has established a fund of 300 million RMB (~$43 million) to support virus control and prevention while promoting long-term public health education and security. With this funding, Baidu intends to continue to invest in research and technology developments that will provide aid and resistance to this and future outbreaks.
In addition to these contributions, Baidu is opening up LinearFold to the world, the world’s fastest algorithm for ribonucleic acid (RNA) secondary structure prediction, which was published last year in partnership with Oregon State University and University of Rochester. This innovative algorithm can significantly speed up the prediction of the secondary structure of an RNA sequence over traditional RNA folding algorithms.
Another company to provide its technology to gain ground in the spread of the virus is Ligand, who announced that its proprietary technologies are being utilized by partners to support and enable potential treatments for Covid-19. Plans are being developed by current and/or prospective partners to use Ligand’s OmniAb antibody discovery platform, as well as Ligand’s patented antigen technology for the discovery of antibodies to coronavirus.
Likewise, AntiCancer announced a collaboration with its Beijing-based sister company, AntiCancer Beijing, to develop oral recombinant methioninase for Covid-19. Methionine is an amino acid derived from protein-containing food, and is a specific requirement in coronaviruses in order to replicate and to evade the immune system of the host, according to AntiCancer. The San Diego-based company’s oral recombinant methioninase targets and destroys circulating methionine in the body.
“We will first test methioninase in cultured lung cells infected with Covid-19 in vitro, and then test oral recombinant methioninase in patients infected with the virus,” Qinghong Han, methioninase project leader at AntiCancer, said in an official statement. “We will carry out these tests in China with the appropriate organizations and safety profiles. Oral recombinant methioninase should be effective therapy for Covid-19 disease since coronaviruses have a special requirement for methionine.”
GenapSys also announced the launch of its gene sequencer in the Asia Pacific region, including Korea, Singapore, Japan, and China. As Covid-19 spreads at an increasing rate, scientists are using gene sequencing and other diagnostic tools to study the strains and gene mutations found in infected individuals in hopes of understanding the origin of the outbreak and finding containment solutions for the disease.
GenapSys is actively looking to partner with local health agencies and researchers to equip researchers with access to the insight afforded by sequencing, and other companies, including LexaGene, have reported they have received many inquiries regarding the ability of their technology to detect the virus.
According to LexaGene’s CEO and Founder, Jack Regan, the rate at which Covid-19 is currently spreading requires robust technology with quick turnaround time. “[LexaGene’s] genetic analyzer can quickly detect new pathogens in just one hour, on-site,” Regan said in a press release. “Currently, the traditional process requires that samples from sick individuals must be transported to laboratories for manual processing. This is extremely inefficient and introduces a significant time-delay that can have severe consequences for disease spread.”
These technologies are not just applicable in China where the virus originated. Covid-19 has spread to over 20 countries and territories worldwide, with more than 14,500 confirmed cases and 300 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency, resulting in a global effort to treat the virus.
Australian-based AusDiagnostics has developed a molecular diagnostic test to detect Covid-19 based on its nucleic acid sequence. The AusDiagnostics test detects the Covid-19, together with four coronaviruses with less severe cold-like symptoms, and the SARS and MERS coronaviruses. This makes it a useful tool to distinguish the cause of coronavirus-like infections.
The new test works on the AusDiagnostics diagnostic equipment, which the company says is present in 40 hospital laboratories in Australia and 100 hospitals worldwide, allowing rapid deployment of the test.
That’s not to say test deployment has been a smooth endeavor for all diagnostics companies, especially those wishing to deliver diagnostics tests to large Chinese cities. Reuters’ Paul Arnold reports that companies like Roche has had difficulty supplying tests to diagnose the virus after China’s Communist Party rulers have halted travel in and out of the country in an effort to prevent further outbreak.
“Getting the goods to hospitals has been a real challenge,” Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker told Arnold.
Rapid screening has also been a focus for diagnostics companies.
For instance, Sona announced they developed a rapid screening test for Covid-19. Sona’s test is based on lateral flow technology. When completed, the test is expected to produce results in 5-15 minutes and is anticipated to cost less than $50. According to the company, there is currently no lateral flow test specific to the Covid-19 strain of the coronavirus. Currently, the majority of testing completed for the nCoV19 virus uses molecular based technology (PCR), a testing platform that typically costs more than $200 per test, frequently takes 2-4 hours to produce results, and requires specialized laboratory equipment and skilled technicians to operate.
HiberGene also announced they have expedited the design of a new, rapid near-patient molecular test for Covid-19. The Coronavirus test will undergo clinical evaluation in China in collaboration with HiberGene’s local distribution partner, Medcaptain, based in Shenzhen, China. The Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based Coronavirus test uses HiberGene’s proprietary reagent format and low-complexity sample preparation protocol to quickly detect the virus in clinical samples. This allows rapid delivery of results within 60 minutes, without the need for segregated laboratory facilities or highly trained staff.