USA News Group / In the wake of the US presidential election, calls for economies to reopen are beginning to mount from governors such as Andrew Cuomo in New York and Gavin Newsom in California, and mayors like Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot. As regulators contemplate the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, the efficiency in both rapid antigen and PCR tests will be under more scrutiny from mega health organizations such as the CDC and WHO. In turn, new advancements and offerings are coming from developers and distributors of tests, including Maitri Health Technologies Corp. (CSE:MTEC) (FSE:D84), Abbot Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), Co-Diagnostics (NASDAQ:CODX), GenMark Diagnostics (NASDAQ:GNMK), and Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX).
Fresh off of a newly signed distribution agreement, Maitri Health Technologies Corp. (CSE:MTEC) (FSE:D84) is set to offer a highly sensitive and accurate COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, dubbed QuantiVirus, as part of its comprehensive offering of personal protective equipment (PPE) and technology.
The deal links Maitri with California-based precision molecular diagnostics company DiaCarta, which brings a global reputation in genomics and oncology testing.
DiaCarta’s PCR test-kits are EUA approved, and in a recent report from the US FDA, were ranked among the market’s most effective.
"We've come to learn that testing is critical for businesses and communities to help keep their people safer and healthier,” said Andrew Morton, CEO of Maitri Health. "Companies and healthcare officials can better protect their employees and communities if they have timely, accurate visibility about who has COVID-19 virus. The QuantiVirus test kits are easy to administer and the results are available in hours, not days, with commonly available lab equipment."
As per the deal, Maitri is signed on for international distribution of DiaCarta’s tests, currently in Mexico and Canada. With US FDA, EUA and Mexican Cofepris authorizations in place, DiaCarta is currently under evaluation with Health Canada for approval.
The QuantiVirus COVID-19 PCR test kits join Maitri's extensive suite of PPE, which currently includes 3D masks, patent-pending face shields, sanitizers and disinfectants—all integrated and supported by technology for improved tracking and tracing.
Key to the QuantiVirus test’s potential for success is its fast results. Cheap mass testing solutions are being hailed as vital for a victory against the spread.
A move towards a saliva-based COVID-19 PCR test may be in the future for Co-Diagnostics (NASDAQ:CODX), after a certified laboratory validated their saliva-based test built upon the company’s CoPrimer technology for use with saline oral rinse samples.
This followed the FDA’s granting of the first emergency use authorization for a saliva-based COVID-19 test.
"This validation on the OraRisk line of salivary diagnostics showcases the versatility and flexibility of our CoPrimer platform and COVID-19 test," said Dwight Egan, of Co-Diagnostics. "Saliva specimens are easily collected with a simple swish and gargle, as opposed to more invasive collection methods such as nasal swabs. We are pleased that our technology is being deployed in so many areas in the United States and countries across the world, providing the type of quality, high-throughput diagnostic solutions that many experts agree is the most important step to curbing the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives."
Back in March 2020, early in the spread, the US FDA awarded GenMark Diagnostics (NASDAQ:GNMK) an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 test. That test went on to spark a 100% year-over-year revenue growth for the company through the first 9 months of 2020, while GNMK shares gained 204% for the full year.
GenMark’s ePlex platform claims to have an ultra-simple workflow, slimming down the time needed to provide results of traditional molecular tests, like a PCR, to less than two hours, down from six to 24 hours or even more. Their ePlex RP2 test, released in late June, detects 21 common respiratory pathogens, including COVID-19.
In comparison to molecular tests, new clinical data showed that an antigen test from Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) may be more selective in detecting infectious COVID-19 patients than molecular tests.
During the study which compared antigen and PCR test results, only 28 out of 38 positive PCR result specimens tested, were positive using the cell culture technique. In contrast, the antigen tests, conducted using the BD Veritor™ Plus System, were positive in 27 of the 28 cell culture positive tests. As per the company’s release, this data suggests that 10 of the 38 PCR positive results were potentially identifying non-infectious individuals, meaning PCR detected viral RNA fragments or small amounts of intact SARS-CoV-2 virus and that the patient wasn't actually contagious at the time the sample was taken.
"Point-of-care antigen tests, as demonstrated in this study with the BD Veritor™ Plus System, have the potential to significantly change the public health interventions needed to minimize the spread of COVID-19," said Dr. Charles Cooper, study co-author and vice president of Medical Affairs for BD. "By providing a more relevant test to identify individuals that are likely to be shedding infectious virus and therefore transmit SARS-CoV-2, we will be in a better position to contain its spread. Plus, the low cost and scalability of antigen-based testing makes it an important tool to contain and suppress COVID-19 community transmission."
A rapid COVID-19 antigen test call the BinaxNOW from Abbot Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) received some attention recently from the CDC, which stated the test may help with faster detection and isolation. Earlier in January, BinaxNOW tests were rolled out to schools and workplaces nationwide.
While the test was less sensitive in detecting asymptomatic infection, the CDC found that the faster turnaround time can help limit transmission by more rapidly identifying infectious persons for isolation.
"The appropriate use of high quality rapid antigen tests like the BinaxNOW can serve to slow the spread of this virus in weeks in any given community and in two months across the U.S.," said Michael Mina, assistant professor at Harvard University.
Article Source: https://equity-insider.com/2020/11/04/a-healthcare-company-with-a-technological-advantage/
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