Innovative automation supports laboratory testing workflow

Novacyt has unveiled the new CO-Prep™ Automated Liquid Handling System designed for use with the PROmate® COVID-19 assay workflows, which can also be used to support busy laboratories and private healthcare providers to perform efficient COVID-19 testing. It was developed for those who want to automate or deskill their COVID-19 workflows, freeing up time that would otherwise be spent on manual pipetting, for the lab operators to add value elsewhere. CO-Prep™ optimises liquid handling for PROmate®COVID-19 assays, an established total workflow [...]

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Unpredictable challenges for respiratory virus treatment

Winter 2021/2022 could become the most challenging in decades for respiratory healthcare. There are many unknowns, such as the potential impact of circulating influenza or the trajectory of new COVID-19 variants such as Omicron. But one thing is certain. It will be ever more crucial to be able to rapidly diagnose and differentiate whether a patient is presenting symptoms of COVID-19 or another respiratory disease. As they struggle to breathe on arrival at A&E departments, do they need to be [...]

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Boosting reassurance for international travel through reliable COVID-19 testing

As international travel begins to re-open following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a growing need for reliable, high-quality tests to satisfy the border requirements of different countries. The travel industry and private testing providers need to be assured that the tests they use are fit for purpose – not just in terms of performance but also that they meet government standards and international regulations. As of June 22, 2021, there is a range of different testing requirements for travellers [...]

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Overwhelmed by COVID-19, are other serious infectious diseases neglected?

The costs and healthcare challenges of tackling COVID-19 have threatened the world’s ability to address a steady rise in other serious infectious diseases. That’s the conclusion of a panel of experts bought together for the latest NovaTalk, hosted by international clinical diagnostics company Novacyt and entitled ‘Overwhelmed by COVID-19, are other serious infectious diseases neglected? In a debate on July 7th, chaired by medical journalist Sue Saville, former Medical Correspondent for the UK’s ITV News, the discussion was wide-ranging and included: Dangerous [...]

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Don’t let COVID-19 distract you from a rise in other infectious diseases – stay alert!

The growth of the COVID-19 pandemic globally over the past 18 months has been exponential, and despite mitigating measures and the vaccine roll-out, the virus continues to mutate and spread. As of 5.21pm CEST June 15, 2021, there had been 176,156,662 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,815,486 deaths, reported to WHO1. Important though it is to continue world efforts to tackle SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, the impact of the virus on other infectious diseases should not be ignored. Whilst social distancing measures and lockdowns have kept some [...]

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Continual testing is critical to avoid a virus ‘pole-vault’

A multi-layered approach comprising vaccines, testing, lockdowns where necessary and medication will be essential for the foreseeable future in combatting COVID-19 – described as an “extraordinarily transmissible virus,” during the NovaTalk webinar on May 7th. “In fact, there’s no going back to normal,” said Professor Alex Welte, Research Professor at The South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA). “People will have to get used to a viable new normal, as we co-exist with a mutating virus.” Talking about the [...]

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Global bioinformatics surveillance drives innovation in SARS-CoV-2 variant detection tests

Market-leading intelligence is the catalyst behind Novacyt’s ability to anticipate – and respond – to emerging new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Global tracking of virus mutations enables its R & D division to quickly develop tests that not only identify variants of concern (VOCs) – originally identified in countries such as the UK, Brazil, South Africa etc – in less than two hours but also identify and add mutations that are likely to become biologically relevant. Novacyt’s bioinformatics surveillance group has worked with [...]

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Novacyt Group: PathFlow® technology and knowledge underpin our drive for continued innovation

Advancing technology and a unique wealth of knowledge are the driving forces behind innovative development in our PathFlow® portfolio of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. Our latest addition to the range – the PathFlow® SARS-CoV-2 IgG – is an easy-to-use, rapid, lateral flow test for the detection of COVID-19 antibodies. It’s a natural evolution in the Novacyt Group’s range of COVID-19 diagnostic solutions, building on our growing expertise in this field, plus our ability to maximise the potential of our technologies [...]

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PathFlow®: Future innovation of COVID-19 Lateral Flow Testing

PathFlow®: Future innovation of COVID-19 Lateral Flow Testing Advancing technology and a unique wealth of knowledge are the driving forces behind innovative development in our PathFlow® portfolio of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. This includes innovative product development in our PathFlow® portfolio – part of our Microgen Bioproducts division – where the new SARS-CoV-2 IgG rapid test is a natural addition to a fast-growing range of assays for the rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases. PathFlow® COVID-19 testing solutions: As the demands for [...]

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Evolution of testing and sequencing during COVID-19 is vital to future pandemic control

The advances in testing and genome sequencing during the COVID-19 pandemic will be crucial to predicting and managing future pandemics, according to scientific discussion during the NovaTalk webinar on February 26. What’s more, the expanse of science over the past 15 months could now be applied to tackling the growing worldwide incidence of antibiotic resistance. Prof. Sharon Peacock, Director of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium and Professor of Public Health and Microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said: “I’m not afraid [...]

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