By Samuel Indyk
Investing.com – Avacta Group (LON:AVCT) has announced that its AffiDX antigen lateral flow test has been shown to detect the Omicron variant of coronavirus in clinical samples.
The Omicron variant has more than 35 mutations of the original strain and was first identified in South Africa last month. Since then, it has reached the UK and on Tuesday, the UK confirmed there was now over 5,300 cases of Omicron in the country. However, it is widely thought that total number far exceeds official figures, with some estimates suggesting around 200,000 cases per day.
Avacta said that the lateral flow test was evaluated at the Carlos III Hospital in Madrid using a small number of actual patient samples confirmed to be Omicron variant positive. The results indicate that the test detects the new Omicron variant in addition to all previously identified new variants of concern.
“We are delighted to confirm that the AffiDX SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test detects the Omicron variant,” said Avacta Group CEO Dr Alastair Smith. “As this variant is more infectious, it is important that it can be detected in individuals with higher loads using lateral flow tests so that its spread can be slowed down.”
The company’s test is currently suspended from sale in the UK after the UK Health Security Agency’s Medical Devices (Coronavirus Test Device Approvals) regulations came into force in November.
“We are progressing with our application to the CTDA in order to put the AffiDx product on the market in the UK, as well as continuing to pursue commercial opportunities in Europe and further afield for the professional-use test,” Dr Smith added. “We also continue to work with our partners, Medusa 19 Healthcare, to obtain the CE mark for consumer self-testing for the product which is a critical next step in the commercialisation of the product.”
At 10:26GMT, shares in Avacta Group were trading higher by 1.4% at 111.70 pence per share.