Omega Bio-Tek, Norcross, Ga, has launched the Mag-Bind Viral RNA Xpress kit for the rapid and reliable isolation of viral RNA from nasopharyngeal swab specimens that are dry or in viral transport media. The new kit aims to counter the shortage of RNA purification kits, which are used in the first steps of covid-19 testing.
The company’s magnetic bead-based extraction kit is adaptable to most liquid-handling platforms for scalable, high-throughput purification. Protocols are available for the Applied Biosystems MagMax 96, Hamilton Microlab Nimbus, Hamilton Microlab MagEx Starlet, Hamilton Microlab Star, Qiagen BioSprint, Tecan DreamPrep Nap, and Thermo KingFisher.
The Mag-Bind Viral RNA Xpress kit enables scientists to increase their purification throughput by reducing the number of reagents and protocol steps while allowing for efficient recovery of viral nucleic acids with minimal inhibitor carryover. Viral RNA purified using the Mag-Bind Viral RNA Xpress kit is suitable for common downstream applications such as RT-qPCR.
“With the new Mag-Bind Viral RNA Xpress kit, we are able to deliver a robust and reliable extraction product and triple our production capacity to produce up to six million tests per month,” says Travis Butts, vice president of Omega Bio-Tek. “We are proud that we can assist scientists, researchers, and healthcare workers around the world in accelerating the screening and detection of the novel coronavirus disease, covid-19.”
For more information, visit Omega Bio-Tek.
