The answer to South Africa’s need for a Covid-19 testing kit which is both portable and fast may, in time, lie in the hands of Japan’s Canon Medical Systems Corporation (CMSC).
The company has partnered with Nagasaki University, Japan, to develop the Genelyzer Kit to test for SARS-CoV-2, a testing system which takes under 40 minutes from the time a specimen is collected from a patient to the delivery of results.
In cases where the test has been positive for SARS-CoV-2, it can detect 15 or more viral genome copies with 100 percent sensitivity.
This testing system makes it possible to quickly detect a novel coronavirus gene in patient specimens and, aside from being quick to administer, boasts a light weight, compact design which makes it ideal for a wide range of testing situations, including remote clinical sites.
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The kit, which was validated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of Japan on March 26, consists of a set of reagents for SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing using a gene amplification technique known as the fluorescent loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method.
Based on the clinical tests, the rapid genetic testing system has been granted approval for practical application in government-conducted testing within Japan.
“In order to take full advantage of the testing system’s rapid testing capabilities, we will continue evaluating its practical application in public health protection and border control measures at clinical sites, airports, and other locations where testing needs to be completed on the same day.
“Canon Medical Systems Corporation hopes that the testing system will be used at a wide range of clinical sites in Japan to help control the spread of Covid-19.
“At the same time, our goal is to contribute to the development of effective measures against the spread of infectious diseases in all parts of the world using this rapid genetic testing system,” says Canon Medical Systems Corporation president and CEO Toshio Takiguchi.
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