Roche Molecular Diagnostics announced that the FDA has approved its new dual-PCR target HIV-1 viral load test to quantify the amount of virus in a patient’s blood.
The COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HIV-1 Test, v2.0 is the first quantitative viral load test to amplify and detect two separate regions of a target genome and offers a fully automated and reliable solution for physicians to make informed treatment decisions for HIV-1 patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy.
“With the introduction of this test, Roche is the only company in the world to offer a dual-PCR target quantitative viral load assay,” said Paul Brown, president and CEO of Roche Molecular Diagnostics. “By virtue of its design, the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test, v2.0 can improve the ability of physicians and laboratories to obtain reliable information about HIV-infected patients in order to make informed treatment decisions.”
Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) and viral load tests, which are used to monitor the amount of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) circulating in blood, have contributed to a 13-year increase in life expectancy for people infected with HIV.
Source: Roche Molecular Diagnostics
