- In May 2022, Roche was one of the first companies to develop a suite of tests to detect the monkeypox virus and aid in the understanding of why and how the disease is spreading.
- cobas® MPXV for use on cobas® 6800/8800 Systems is the first monkeypox virus test granted EUA following evaluation in actual patient samples rather thansamples formulated in the laboratory.
- High-throughout solutions enable rapid results, allowing individuals to avoid additional testing or unnecessary isolation, and supporting access to appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the U.S. FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for cobas® MPXV for use on the cobas® 6800/8800 Systems. The test is an automated PCR test for the detection of monkeypox virus (MPXV) in lesion swabs collected from individuals suspected of MPXV infection and uses a dual-target approach.
cobas® MPXV targets two different regions of the MPXV genome which are both less prone to mutations than other parts of the genome. This dual-target approach ensures that cobas® MPXV will continue to detect the virus even if a mutation occurs in one of the target regions.
“When multiple clusters of monkeypox virus infection were initially reported in countries where the disease is not endemic, Roche was among the first companies to address virus concerns with test kits,”
said Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Roche Diagnostics.
“In order to meet the testing needs and workflow demands of laboratories as well as expand access to safe and reliable diagnostic solutions, we developed the cobas® MPXV on the fully automated and high-throughput cobas® 6800/8800 system.”
The high throughput solution can help individuals get the right results quickly. This is important so that patients are not subjected to unnecessary additional testing or isolation, and will have access to appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
Like many viruses, monkeypox cannot be conclusively diagnosed by symptoms alone. This is because many monkeypox symptoms closely resemble those of other rash-producing illnesses such as chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, and even hives or allergies.
For more information on the test kits launched for researchers that were launched in May 2022 please follow this link: Roche develops unique PCR tests to detect the monkeypox virus.