Improved Clinical Diagnostic Method for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Application

A more reliable and accurate method for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the biochemical interactions between the spike trimer and ACE-2 protein.

Key Benefits

  • A fast, affordable, and easy-to-use SARS-Cov-2 diagnostic test for use in clinical settings.

Market Summary

SARS-CoV-2 has evolved significantly since the onset of the pandemic, and continues to impact lives acorss the globe. Currently, the CDC does not recommend antibody testing as a means to estimate COVID-19 immunity. While serology testing is available and inexpensive (around $70 per test), it is not as widely used as molecular testing methods such as PCR. There is a growing need for a SARS-CoV-2 detection method that is automatic, easy to use, affordable, and fast for clinical use; this could help to improve COVID-19 testing and diagnosis, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Technical Summary

Traditional cellular and live-virus methods for detection of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) are labor- and time-intensive and thus not suited for routine use in the clinical lab to predict vaccine efficacy and natural immune protection. A team of Emory University researchers has developed and validated a rapid, high throughput method for measuring SARS-CoV nAbs against native-like trimeric spike proteins for use in clinical settings.

Developmental Stage

Clinical trials to determine the extent of its reliability.

Patent Information

Tech ID: 21196
Published: 4/5/2023