A PCR test to pick up the monkeypox virus is now available outside the US for use in research applications by laboratories.
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) a global medical technology company and CerTesy Biotec made the announcement today (July 27).
The BD MAX System used to leverage the test is a fully integrated, automated platform that performs nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR providing results for up to 24 samples across multiple syndromes in less than three hours.
Infections
BD offers an extensive menu of tests on the system covering health care associated infections, respiratory infections, sexually transmitted infections, gastrointestinal infections and women’s health. The company offers a suite of open system reagents for the BD MAX System that enables labs to fully automate and streamline their Lab Developed Tests.
Nikos Pavlidis, vice president of molecular diagnostics at BD, said: “One of the key advantages of the BD MAX System is its open-architecture system that enables rapid response to emerging health threats. Just as we did at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we partnered with CerTest to quickly develop a molecular test to help better understand and track this disease.”
As with all CerTest tests, the Monkeypox PCR Detection Kit for the BD MAX System is offered in a lyophilized format. Accordingly, the test will come in a tube that snaps into the test-specific position on the BD MAX ExK TNA extraction strip, which is supplied by BD.
Health emergency
“Speed is of the essence when responding to what the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency,” said Nelson Fernandes, managing director of CerTest Biotec.
He added: “We hope this new test will boost capacity for monkeypox research, ultimately helping quell the spread of the disease.”