KSL Diagnostics, developers of novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications for immunology and oncology, launched an antibody test that detects an individual’s immune response to COVID-19 and assesses the risk of infection if subsequently exposed.
The COVID-19 Immune Index can help monitor effectiveness of COVID-19 virus protection through a simple blood test, and correlates the virus’ neutralization against a person’s antibody levels.
This test measures antibodies specific to COVID-19 which develop in response to vaccination or infection and correlates these results with virus neutralization studies incorporating the significant COVID-19 virus strains to date.
“There is a lot of variability in antibody levels over time after infection, vaccination and boosters. Guidance is constantly changing, but good tools to help people better understand their immune status have not been available,” says Kevin Lawson, president and CEO of KSL. “The COVID-19 Immune Index provides an accurate report for those who are immunocompromised, at risk with co-morbidities, re-entering the workplace or traveling. Understanding your level of immunity can provide peace of mind as we move past the pandemic.”
The new test provides physicians and their patients an objective datapoint to help determine appropriate timing for booster vaccine doses and making informed decisions related to potential COVID-19 exposure. The test will be valuable for monitoring the immunity levels of nursing home and long-term care residents, veterans living in group housing, and patients undergoing treatment for cancer, organ transplants, or serious chronic illnesses, among others.
KSL’s COVID-19 Immune Index is approved by New York State Department of Health/CLIA/Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
In collaboration with the University at Buffalo Center for Advanced Technology in Big Data and Health Sciences (“UB CAT”) and Amy Jacobs, PhD, a researcher leading UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Biosafety Containment Level 3 facility, KSL completed studies on the relevance of circulating antibodies in vaccinated individuals.
The aim was to determine the optimal neutralizing antibody titers required to block virus entry into host cells by utilizing a plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), the “gold standard” for assessing virus deactivation and correlating these results with KSL’s antibody assays. Results demonstrated stratification of immunity
“The ability to correlate COVID-19 neutralizing antibody titers, especially IgG titers, with antibody assays to accurately assess an individual’s level of protection from COVID over time is a breakthrough development that will help us better navigate the pandemic as it transitions to endemic,” says Jacobs of the University at Buffalo. “Because KSL’s COVID-19 Immune Index test compares well with the industry-standard PRNT assay but is better suited to high throughput testing, physicians will be able to conduct large scale community testing to monitor declining immunity in specific populations and actively promote boosters to curb new surges of the disease.”
KSL provides COVID-19 Immune Index testing as a service. Tests can be ordered at www.immuneindex.com or www.ksldx.com.
