SCIENION and Pictor Limited partner to commercialize SARS-CoV-2 antibody test
SCIENION, a BICO company, announced it has entered into a strategic collaboration with diagnostic biotechnology company Pictor Limited to commercialize a high throughput SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing system.
In the collaboration, the two companies will incorporate SCIENION’s CL2 sciREADER system into the PictArray SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test to create a platform capable of testing both anti-nucleocapsid and anti-spike antibodies in one reaction. This analysis will be key to support the sustained fight against the pandemic by measuring the population’s level of herd immunity through natural infections and vaccinations, the companies said.
“As COVID-19 remains a widespread concern, measuring antibody levels across populations will be critical for public health officials to stop new variant surges,” said Holger Eickhoff PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of SCIENION GmbH.
The combined system will provide a highly automated miniaturized multiplex immunoassay test in a 96-well plate format capable of providing a quick analysis on patients’ level of antibodies. The system also leverages proprietary software, developed by Pictor, which produces a risk score for individuals to determine their likelihood of carrying a COVID-19 infection.
The PictArray SARS-CoV-2 Serology Test enters clinical trials in September 2021 with the goal of receiving emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and brought to market in early 2022. The companies also plan to pursue a positive Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinion for use in the United Kingdom and European Union.
