Roche Develops New Research Test Kits for Omicron Variant

The logo of Swiss drugmaker Roche astatine its office successful Basel, Switzerland, connected Jan. 30, 2020. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

ZURICH—Roche’s recently acquired subsidiary TIB Molbiol has developed 3 caller trial kits to assistance researchers observe mutations successful the caller Omicron variant of coronavirus, Roche said connected Friday.

Governments astir the satellite are urgently scouring databases for caller cases of COVID-19 infections, screening travelers, and decoding the viral genomes of the caller variant arsenic they effort to measurement however acold it has spread.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Omicron arsenic a SARS-CoV-2 “variant of concern,” saying it mightiness dispersed much rapidly than different forms.

“We are capable to connection a trial that tin specifically place the caller B.1.1.529 Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant to assistance amended recognize its dispersed and behaviour,” Thomas Schinecker, caput of Roche Diagnostics, said successful a statement.

While the WHO has said wide disposable tests tin observe individuals infected with immoderate variant, astir PCR tests cannot separate betwixt Omicron and Delta, the ascendant and astir infectious mentation of the virus.

Until now, the satellite assemblage has recommended lone the TaqPath trial produced by U.S. steadfast Thermo Fisher arsenic a proxy.

The caller Roche and TIB Molbiol investigating kits, made lone for research use, tin differentiate betwixt unsocial mutations successful Omicron compared to different SARS-CoV-2 variants, Roche said.

They tin frankincense assistance researchers observe Omicron and survey its dispersed versus different variants. Roche said they could besides beryllium utilized to show the imaginable interaction of therapeutics, vaccines, and nationalist wellness interventions connected the dispersed of variants.

Roche acquired Berlin-based TIB Molbiol connected Dec. 1 to grow its PCR-test portfolio to combat caller infectious diseases.

By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi