Scientists on Tyneside have developed a rapid Covid test which is more accurate than the current lateral flow versions.
Current rapid antigen tests can quickly tell a person that they are positive for Covid-19. However, because the antibody-based tests aren’t very sensitive, they can fail to detect early infections with low viral loads. Now a research team led by Newcastle University experts has developed a test that is more sensitive and works under more extreme environmental conditions.
The team involves researchers at Newcastle University, comprised of Jake McClements, Pankaj Singla, Marloes Peeters, Shayan Seyedin and Brendan Payne, who worked with MIPDiagnostics, Manchester Metropolitan University and Université Libre de Bruxelles.
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Lead author Dr Peeters, senior lecturer at Newcastle University’s School of Engineering, said: "We have developed a new type of Covid-19 test which has many advantages over current lateral flow tests. For example, lateral flow tests use biological antibodies to trap and detect the Covid-19 virus, whereas we use a synthetic alternative known as polymer antibodies.
“This allows for a test which is as fast at 15 minutes and cheap as a lateral flow test but can detect 6000-times smaller amounts of the Covid-19 virus. Consequently, this will improve test accuracy, particularly for asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals.
“Moreover, synthetic antibodies are very robust which means the tests have a longer shelf-life, and can be used in hot climates with no issues and will not produce false-positive results in acidic media, such as soft drinks. Additionally, the polymer antibodies can be easily adapted for any new Covid-19 variants or other emerging pathogens."
The gold standard for Covid-19 diagnosis remains the PCR test. Although this test is highly sensitive and specific, it takes one to two days for a result, is expensive and requires special lab equipment and trained personnel. In contrast, rapid antigen tests are fast, and people can take them at home with no training, but they lack sensitivity, sometimes resulting in false negatives.
The Newcastle team set out to make a low-cost, rapid, robust and highly sensitive Covid-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies. The project received funding and support from Newcastle University, the Rosetrees Trust, the Wellcome Trust and the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique.
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