Seegene, Inc. (Seegene), a molecular diagnostics company, has introduced Seeplex FluA ACE Subtyping, a sub-type screening test. This screening test will detect simultaneously pandemic novel influenza A (H1N1), seasonal human influenza A H1, seasonal human influenza A H3 and avian influenza A H5 in a single reaction. This test depends on the company's novel DPO-based Multiplex RT-PCR technology. Additionally it is in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for diagnosis of new virus strains.

Accurate testing using our new FluA ACE subtyping kit to match viral strains with antiviral therapies can become a game-changing strategy for many national health organizations, said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, founder and chief executive officer, Seegene.

In the mass screening setting, due to similar symptoms between various respiratory diseases, it can be critical to simultaneously diagnose both new influenza A and bacterial pneumonia to determine the right treatment. The usual detection process at hospitals for pneumonia is the culture method requiring 4-5 days for a result, and which may leave some bacteria undetected.

To remedy this situation Seegene has now developed bacterial pneumonia tests capable of simultaneously detecting viral pneumonia and the new Influenza A virus.

This past month, the Korean government approved Seegene’s multiplex RT-PCR method as a confirmation test for social health insurance. More than 50 university hospitals, including Seoul National University hospital, and major reference laboratories adopted Seegene’s Multiplex RT-PCR respiratory virus detection method.