September 1, 2020
Combinati today announced a novel whole product solution for accurate and precise quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral targets, which has the potential to make a significant positive impact in the COVID-19 pandemic. Although traditional quantitative PCR, or RT-qPCR, currently serves as the clinical standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19, a recent study demonstrated that dPCR provided better accuracy and greater sensitivity for the identification of patients who may have had inconclusive results, but were ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19.1
Combinati reports their COVID-19 solution consists of the Absolute Q system, Microfluidic Array Partitioning plates, required reagents, and the |Q| SARS-CoV-2 Triplex Assay. The system features an identical workflow to qPCR with the added accuracy and sensitivity benefits of dPCR in a single benchtop instrument. The patented microfluidic partitioning technology minimizes sample waste which means fewer false negatives and greater precision. The Absolute Q dPCR platform has one hands-on step and provides results in only 90 minutes.
Designed specifically for the Absolute Q, the |Q| SARS-CoV-2 Triplex Assay demonstrates unmatched low-end sensitivity down to single viral targets, giving researchers the ability to detect trace amounts of the virus, even among a high background of human genomic DNA. This multiplexed assay detects SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids from extracted samples in a single reaction. The platform and assay are currently available for research use only.
“In our lab we are evaluating the use of Absolute Q dPCR platform with the |Q| SARS-CoV-2 Triplex Assay to accurately detect trace amounts of the COVID-19 virus that may have been missed by traditional qPCR methods,” said Samuel Yang, M.D., FACEP, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Stanford University Medical Center. “Being able to confidently identify patients who have the COVID-19 virus can provide more insight as to how the virus is being transmitted in populations.”
“We are committed to providing researchers with the most accurate digital PCR platform for precise quantification of any nucleic acid targets,” said Paul Hung, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Combinati. “We are confident that our platform will serve as a key tool in the fight against COVID-19 because of its ability to detect trace amounts of the virus consistently and accurately.”
The Absolute Q digital PCR platform is currently being used in research facilities across the U.S.
1 Dong L, Zhou J, Niu C, et al. Highly accurate and sensitive diagnostic detection of SARS-CoV-2 by digital PCR. medRxiv. March 2020:2020.03.14.20036129. doi:10.1101/2020.03.14.20036129