Beckman Coulter, Brea, Calif, is developing assays to identify IgM and IgG antibodies to the covid-19 coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The assays will be designed for use on any of the company’s Access family of high-throughput immunoassay systems, including the Access 2 and DxI series installed globally.
“Antibody assays play a critical role in understanding the measure of immunity an individual has developed against SARS-CoV-2,” says Kathleen Orland, senior vice president and general manager for Beckman Coulter’s chemistry and immunoassay business. “This type of understanding could help determine the identification of those who would require a vaccine once available, or when an infected individual could safely return to work.”
Shamiram Feinglass, MD, MPH, Beckman Coulter.
“With the ability to assess a patient’s immunity to SARS-CoV-2, this testing modality may enable clinicians to clear hospital staff, emergency responders, and others to get back to work, with an indication that they have had prior exposure and therefore may have immunity to the disease,” says Shamiram Feinglass, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at Beckman Coulter. “This test also could allow those without immunity to be identified and kept safe until the pandemic subsides.”
Once the assays are finalized, Beckman Coulter intends to follow FDA’s emergency use notification process as provided in the agency’s Policy for Diagnostic Tests for Coronavirus Disease-2019 during the Public Health Emergency, which was released on March 16, 2020.
For more information, visit Beckman Coulter.
