S’pore kit can detect H7N9 virus within 2 hours

SINGAPORE – This test kit made by Singapore-based Veredus Laboratories can detect several types of bird flu viruses (including the one affecting China now) in a single test.

And it can do this accurately within two hours. It also provides genetic information on the infection, which used to take days or weeks to find out.

Dr Rosemary Tan, the chief executive officer of the firm, said: “While working together with WHO (World Health Organisation), we were able to identify and differentiate all the combination of human subtypes of Influenza A virus – H1N1, H3N2, H5N1 and all the H7 and H9 – in a single test.

“After learning of the outbreak in China, we have confirmed, based on DNA testing, that our current VereFlu influenza panel is able to detect the subtype of H7N9 responsible for this outbreak.”

It was launched in 2009 in partnership with European semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics, and is the world’s first “lab-on-chip” device. Each VereFlu system sells for $80,000 (S$99,020), while each one-time-use chip is sold for $100.

The World Health Organisation-evaluated kits were based on research carried out at the Genome Institute of Singapore, and Veredus was among the first in the world to sell them commercially.

The kit has become a hot item among some government and corporations, which have been calling the company, after the H7N9 virus had infected 38 and killed 10 in China.

Although Veredus cannot disclose specific clients or figures, previous reports said it has sold tens of thousands of detection kits and they can be found in about 30 countries.

Dr Tan said the kits may be easy to use, but they are not sold off the shelf. They are widely used in government laboratories and organisations such as hospitals.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore said the H7 a vian influenza virus has not been detected here in its tests on local and imported birds.

Meanwhile, with the growing number of cases of H7N9 infection, the race is on to find a vaccine.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced at the end of last week that it was developing a vaccine for the virus.

Source: The New Paper

Category: Technology & Devices