Vietnamese scientist creates nCoV test kit that gives results in 70 minutes
The kit uses nucleic acid isothermal amplification technique specifically for detecting RNA of pathogenic viruses, with high sensitivity.
The research team of Dr. Le Quang Hoa, Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology has just announced the successful manufacture of RT-LAMP biological product to quickly detect nCoV.
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Dr. Le Quang Hoa shares information about research results. Photo:Khanh Van. |
The kit uses RT-LAMP (nucleic acid isothermal amplification) technique specifically for detecting RNA of pathogenic viruses. In particular, the analysis time is short (70 minutes including RNA extraction stage), the current standard molecular diagnostic procedure (RT-PCR) requires at least 4 hours (240 minutes).
The research team said that the production cost of each test is 350,000 VND, while the production cost of the RT-PCR test kit is one million VND. Compared to other molecular biology techniques, RT-LAMP has simple equipment, the ability to apply in the field, high sensitivity and specificity (equivalent to real-time RT-PCR).
Immediately after the genome sequence of the nCoV-2019 strain was published on GenBank on January 13, the research team proactively developed the RT-LAMP biological product to quickly detect this strain. The synthesis of the artificial gene of the target gene region encoding the nucleocapsid phosphoprotein of the nCoV strain was also carried out.
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nCoV was successfully isolated by Vietnamese scientists. Photo:National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. |
The RT-LAMP test detects nCoV RNA in 5 copies per reaction, which is equivalent to the most sensitive method currently based on real-time RT-PCR. Notably, this RT-LAMP reaction does not give false positive results for other coronaviruses such as SARS CoV, MERS-CoV, HKU4, HKU1, OC43 and 229E.
However, these results are based on in vitro transcribed RNA samples. Therefore, to ensure accuracy, the next step is to compare the characteristics of the kit with the standard real-time RT-PCR method (recommended by WHO) on viral RNA samples obtained from real clinical specimens.
For widespread application, the research team hopes to have at least 12 RNA samples of the nCoV strain for internal control and needs to conduct inter-laboratory testing before registering the product and mass producing. Once the samples are available, the team will have results after 3 days. If the laboratory has enough chemicals, the research team can produce up to 1,000 test biological products after 7 days.
Dr. Le Quang Hoa's research team has more than 15 years of experience in developing and manufacturing biological products to quickly detect pathogens based on molecular biology and immunology techniques. The team has successfully applied the LAMP technique to detect pathogens such as Norovirus and African swine fever virus. Currently, the RT-LAMP process to quickly detect African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been tested on livestock samples and is being applied in a number of food processing plants to control contamination of pathogens in exported foods.
