Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 01: Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, confirmed that its TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit*, and TaqPath COVID-19 CE-IVD RT-PCR Kit can accurately detect the presence of the new Omicron variant in SARS-CoV-2 samples. The test works on the primer-probe detection method and is not impacted by the emerging B.1.1.529 or Omicron variant.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Omicron variant as a SARS-CoV-2 “variant of concern” with more than 30 mutations in the spike protein alone. This variant has caused renewed restriction across countries and research to examine the variant’s impact on the efficacy of existing vaccines and tests.
The TaqPath COVID-19 assays detect SARS-CoV-2 infections by identifying the presence of three gene targets from the orf1a/b, S, and N regions of the virus. While the S gene target in the test is impacted in the presence of Omicron variant mutations, the orf1a/b and N gene targets in the TaqPath COVID-19 tests have been determined to not be impacted by any of the mutations.
“Thermo Fisher is committed to supporting the world’s pandemic response by developing innovative, adaptive and resilient testing solutions. Our TaqPath Assays are developed with additional built-in checks to ensure that clinicians, researchers and public health officials have access to effective tools to accurately detect mutations as the virus continues to evolve,” said Amit Chopra, managing director India and South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific.
The Omicron variant has been found to include the 69-70del mutation of the S gene, first identified as a mutation in the Alpha variant. This mutation causes a dropout of the S-gene target in results from the TaqPath test, which could indicate to clinicians and researchers a possible Omicron variant infection. Confirmation must then be performed by sequencing the sample.
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About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $35 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies, or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 90,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience, and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
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Mihir Deshpande
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