Partners to Develop Rapid Ebola Point-of-Care Test

A recently signed collaborative agreement is expected to pave the way for development of rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests for Ebola and other febrile illnesses.

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. (Medford, NY, USA), a leading manufacturer of rapid diagnostic test for infectious diseases, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Integrated BioTherapeutics, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD, USA), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery of novel vaccines and therapeutics for emerging infectious diseases, to develop POC diagnostic tests for Ebola and other febrile illnesses.

Integrated BioTherapeutics' proprietary Ebola reagents will be used to develop a rapid diagnostic test based on Chembio's patented double pathway (DPP) technology. DPP is considered to generate better results than the classic lateral flow technique, as it uses independent migration paths for the sample and conjugate to provide increased sensitivity. This is due to more effective binding of the analyte to the binding site in the test zone prior to the reaction of the conjugated marker with the test zone complex. Samples such as blood, feces, and saliva that migrate very slowly in conventional lateral flow assays can be passed through an absorbent material to permit faster migration without concern for the migration requirements of the conjugate.

Chembio will have exclusive marketing rights to any POC product developed through this agreement.

John Sperzel, CEO at Chembio, said, "The partnership with Integrated BioTherapeutics is a significant step in our continued efforts to expand Chembio's POC infectious disease portfolio. Our prior success developing the multiplex DPP Febrile Illness Assay demonstrates Chembio's ability to create such tests in a short amount of time, and we believe this partnership illustrates the value that our DPP technology brings to the broader diagnostic market. Through this agreement, Chembio's goal is to further develop innovative, sensitive and specific POC diagnostic tests for detection of febrile illnesses, including Ebola."

Dr. M. Javad Aman, president and CSO at Integrated BioTherapeutics, said, "We are facing a humanitarian crisis and global public health challenge. Development of a rapid POC test for Ebola will be a critical step towards enabling early detection and quarantine that could help save countless lives. Through this partnership, the capabilities of the two companies will be combined to produce a POC product we believe will meet this serious challenge in a timely manner."

Related Links:
Chembio Diagnostics, Inc.
Integrated BioTherapeutics, Inc.