QIAGEN Adds dPCR Platform QIAcuity to Growing Portfolio of COVID-19 Testing Solutions for Wastewater and Mutation Testing

Rhea-AI Summary

QIAGEN has expanded its COVID-19 product lineup by introducing new wastewater testing kits utilizing digital PCR (dPCR) technology. This development aims to enhance global surveillance of COVID-19 by offering precise detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, which provides crucial epidemiological data. The QIAcuity instruments used for these tests deliver high accuracy, enabling public authorities to monitor community infection dynamics effectively. Dr. Franz Durandet confirmed successful detection of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in trial runs, highlighting the potential of dPCR in environmental biological testing.

Positive

• Introduction of wastewater testing kits enhances COVID-19 surveillance.
• QIAcuity instruments provide precise detection of viruses, boosting testing capabilities.
• Successful trials in detecting new SARS-CoV-2 variants validate the technology's effectiveness.

Negative

• None.

QIAGEN today announced the addition of kits for wastewater testing to its growing portfolio of COVID-19 products. The use of dPCR in the worldwide surveillance of COVID-19 is an additional step towards making digital PCR (dPCR) an affordable and standard instrument for a host of applications in molecular-testing laboratories worldwide.

The new kits are designed for use on the uniquely fast and easy-to-use series of QIAcuity instruments based on digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) technology. QIAcuity precisely quantifies even minimal quantities of DNA and RNA in research tests for viruses, bacteria or genetic disorders, including the rarest of cancer mutations.

The precision of QIAcuity provides a valuable tool for use in testing wastewater for SARS-CoV-2. The application offers a cost-effective way to survey transmission dynamics of entire communities, avoiding the biases of other epidemiological indicators like deaths as a proportion of known cases or of the total population.

"In a trial run with the new high-throughput QIAcuity Eight, we were able to successfully detect new variants of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples," said Dr. Franz Durandet, President of I.A.G.E. in Montpellier, France. "Our tests have proven that this fast and scalable technology from QIAGEN can provide a valuable addition to our environmental biological testing services, which we will offer to our clients in the near future."

COVID-19 surveillance through wastewater testing allows public authorities to collect data from broad sweeps of the population, including people who do not feature in public-health statistics because they lack access to healthcare. Potentially, surveillance testing can reveal infection and mutation dynamics earlier than diagnostic testing, providing public-health officials with near-real-time information on disease prevalence.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128006080/en/

FAQ

What new COVID-19 product has QGEN launched?

QIAGEN has launched wastewater testing kits for COVID-19 surveillance using digital PCR technology.

How does QGEN's wastewater testing benefit public health?

It allows for broader population surveillance, providing real-time data on disease prevalence, including undiagnosed cases.

What technology does QGEN use for its new wastewater testing kits?

The wastewater testing kits utilize digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) technology.

What were the results of the trial run for QGEN's testing kits?

The trial successfully detected new variants of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples.