Antibody tests can be used to identify individuals who have been previously exposed to the virus and in some cases those who have an active infection
Eurofins Technologies serological assays demonstrate ability to identify neutralising antibodies. (Credit: Belova59 from Pixabay)
Eurofins Technologies launched multiple serological assay solutions to detect antibodies targeted against the Nucleocapsid protein of the novel Coronavirus.
Antibody tests can be used to identify individuals who have been previously exposed to the virus and in some cases those who have an active infection.
However, simple presence of antibodies in an individual does not guarantee immunity to further infections since only a fraction of antibodies provide the ability to neutralize the virus upon a second contact. Currently, elaborate tests requiring high biological safety measures are required to identify these neutralizing antibodies.
Now, a study performed by Eurofins Ingenasa has demonstrated a direct correlation between Eurofins Technologies antibody detection assays and seroneutralization capability of the antibodies detected without the need to perform time-consuming and complex tests including high biological hazard.
For this study, 55 blood samples were tested on the INgezim total antibody ELISA and a subset of samples on the VIROTECH SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM/IgA ELISA and the results compared to a virus seroneutralization test.
This test takes multiple days and includes infection of cell culture with SARS-CoV-2 to detect those antibodies that protect human cells from entering of the virus. In 100% of tested blood samples, the result of the ELISA tests was identical to the seroneutralization assay even though the same result was obtained in less than 2 hours.
Similarly, a study was performed by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health comparing the results of another Eurofins Technologies ELISA using the same technology (GSD SARS-CoV-2 ELISA) to a seroneutralization assay. The study shows a strong correlation between the IgG isotype specific ELISA and the ability of the antibodies in the blood samples to neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
Source: Company Press Release