QIAGEN announced plans to launch a novel approach to viral RNA epidemiology that will significantly simplify and accelerate PCR analysis and remove key testing bottlenecks for SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses, according to a press release.
QIAGEN’s QIAprep& Viral RNA UM Kit combines a liquid-based sample preparation step completed in only two minutes with real-time PCR detection in a streamlined workflow that can be automated with standard lab equipment for any throughput, any assay and any reaction need from single to multiplex testing. The kit, which uses the most common transport media such as Universal Transport Media (UTMTM) as the starting material, includes both sample extraction components and optimized PCR reagents for only one procedure.
The streamlined workflow takes under one hour to deliver a result, compared to approximately three hours for standard extraction-based quantitative PCR processes and can handle up to 2,600 samples per eight-hour shift per cycler. As a result, labs can significantly accelerate the time to result and the frequency of viral testing. With only three small pipette tips needed per sample, the kit keeps plastic usage to a minimum, while providing cost savings by reducing reagent use and labor utilization.
Initial studies run by select public health research institutions have shown that the level of detection of the new QIAprep& Viral RNA UM Kit, when used with their assay, is similar to or better than regular PCR workflows, and that performance compares to standard public health protocols of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and others that use the gold standard for sample extraction.
