Menarini Diagnostics Launches New SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test That Also Measures Viral Load

A new COVID-19 test from A. Menarini Diagnostics (Florence, Italy) to detect the presence of antigens can not only determine whether a patient is positive for COVID-19, but also provide an indication of the viral load, allowing the most infectious and most at-risk patients to be identified immediately.

These tests are unlike molecular biology tests because, although they also use nasopharyngeal swabs to take the sample, antigen tests do not search for the genetic material of the virus. Instead, they check for the presence of antigens and, therefore, for potential infection by searching for specific viral proteins. They do this through instruments which are easy to transport and use, quicker and cheaper and with equally reliable results. One such instrument is the AFIAS Point-of-Care platform distributed by A. Menarini Diagnostics in Italy and other European countries. This device can be used in decentralized settings not directly connected to the analysis laboratory, such as emergency rooms, airports, or other situations where time or patient convenience matter.

Two models are currently available: AFIAS 1, which can handle one test at a time, and AFIAS 6, which allows six samples to be examined at the same time. Moreover, the same platform can also be used to perform serological antibody tests, detecting the presence and measuring the quantity of IgM and IgG antibodies in a patient's blood sample. Using AFIAS 6, for example, three patients can have both serological antibody and antigen tests done at the same time, getting their results in just 12 minutes.

"It is vitally important to provide reliable tests allowing large-scale screening and the rapid detection of positive cases in order to contain the spread of COVID-19," said Fabio Piazzalunga, Global Head of A. Menarini Diagnostics. "Ultimately, our lives and economies will be increasingly reliant on the availability and efficiency of these diagnostic tools."

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