Hologic is commercialising its Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay, and Novodiag RESP-4 assay, while Thermo Fisher is rolling out its Applied Biosystems TaqPath Respiratory Viral Select Panel in the European Union
Hologic, Thermo Fisher roll out new assays in EU. (Credit: Shameer Pk from Pixabay)
US-based molecular diagnostics companies Hologic and Thermo Fisher Scientific have separately announced new additions to their existing diagnostic test panels to detect respiratory viruses.
Hologic is commercialising its Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay, and Novodiag RESP-4 molecular diagnostic test in the European Union (EU).
The two assays are capable of detecting and differentiating the most prevalent respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay is a cartridge-based assay that uses nasopharyngeal swab samples and runs on the Panther Fusion system.
Panther Fusion system provides an expanded in-vitro diagnostics menu, along with an Open Access functionality to run laboratory-developed tests.
Hologic’s Novodiag RESP-4 assay uses nasopharyngeal swab samples and comes with an embedded cellularity control feature to ensure the sample collection.
The test runs on the company’s Novodiag system, a fully automated molecular diagnostic solution that delivers on-demand testing for infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.
Hologic Group international president Jan Verstreken said: “The RESP-4 assay, developed and manufactured in Espoo, Finland is the first new Novodiag assay to be launched since Hologic’s acquisition of Mobidiag in June 2021.
“The Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay was developed and will be manufactured at our facility in San Diego, CA.
“It adds to our quickly growing menu of Panther Fusion assays, including the Panther Fusion EBV and BKV assays designed and manufactured at our recently acquired facility in Liège, Belgium.”
Thermo Fisher is rolling out the Applied Biosystems TaqPath Respiratory Viral Select Panel, its CE-IVD-marked molecular assay panel for the detection of five common viruses.
The panel is capable of detecting viruses that cause the common cold, bronchiolitis, croup, influenza-like illnesses, and pneumonia, and provides test results within three hours.
It leverages PCR technology to test for the Adenovirus, Human Metapneumovirus, Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, and Parainfluenza virus.
Thermo Fisher claimed that its new scalable solution allows laboratories to simultaneously run up to 94 samples, based on the needs of the population and identify co-infections.
Thermo Fisher Scientific genetic testing solutions senior medical director Manoj Gandhi said: “As the world continues to grapple with living alongside Covid-19, it is important to know that there are a myriad of other respiratory viruses that can also cause serious illness.
“Offering information on these other common respiratory viruses in a single test empowers labs to detect them quickly and efficiently so that the right treatment approach can be selected, which can help save patients’ lives.”