- Differentiates between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections to confidently treat patients based on HIV subtype infection
- Significant reduction in time to detection is critical in curbing further disease transmission
- Access to testing in rural areas through validated dried blood spot (DBS) collection card
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today the commercial availability of the cobas® HIV-1/HIV-2 for use on the automated cobas® 6800/8800 Systems in countries accepting the CE mark. The test provides healthcare professionals with the ability to differentiate HIV-1 from HIV-2, which allows providers to improve treatment options based on subtype infections.
The new HIV-1/HIV-2 qualitative test is validated for plasma and serum to facilitate flexible PCR testing. The dried blood spot (DBS) collection card is also validated as a sample type, enabling access to testing in rural areas.
As the leader in HIV diagnostics, Roche is committed to providing technologies to help providers and patients improve their treatment decisions,
said Uwe Oberlaender, head of Roche Molecular Diagnostics.
The ability to more accurately differentiate subtype infection is a significant advancement in controlling and eradiating the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Current testing methods, which rely on the ability to detect an antibody response, can leave an infected person undiagnosed between two and four weeks. Because of the greater sensitivity of PCR technology over serology methods, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT), like the cobas® HIV-1/HIV-2 test, can reduce this period by up to one week. This significant reduction in time to detection is critical in curbing further disease transmission. Studies show as many as 50% of new infections are estimated to be transmitted during the acute period between 3 days to 3 weeks of infection.[1]