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Salimetrics Supports COVID-19 Research Efforts with Oral Fluid/Saliva-Based Antibody Assay for SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance

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The science and technology for oral fluid-based research has advanced to the point where we can enable serosurveys to occur at a population-based level without risking the health and safety of researchers in obtaining samples…


CARLSBAD, Calif. (PRWEB)

Today, Salimetrics announces the release of their SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein (N-protein) specific IgG antibody kit to support researchers’ seroprevalence studies related to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. This new kit follows the recent release of the SARS-CoV-2 (N-protein) IgG testing service at the Salimetrics SalivaLab, making this saliva-specific assay available to investigators worldwide. Researchers are encouraged to pre-order now to ensure that enough quantity is available for those with an immediate need.

Saliva as a biospecimen is not new, and Salimetrics has been actively developing sample collection and test methods specific for saliva for more than twenty years. Knowing that there are different types of oral fluid, which one is the right one for the application, and how to develop tests that are specific for the concentrations in saliva is often the key that makes the utility of saliva as a specimen successful.

Early in the pandemic, the Salimetrics team, collaborators and partners stepped in with their knowledge and experience to support the COVID-19 effort through the implementation of new tools. Now, deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, Salimetrics remains a steadfast partner. “We’ve mobilized our extensive expertise to enable researchers and public health officials to generate knowledge of COVID-19 infection/exposure history,” says Supriya Gaitonde, Ph.D., Salimetrics Senior Applications Scientist. “We are keenly aware that the practical and non-invasive nature of saliva and oral fluid collection has the potential to facilitate widespread and scalable surveillance when used in tests that have high sensitivity and specificity.”

This new development launches on the heels of the Salimetrics Salivary Human Total IgG and Salivary Human Total IgM assay kits. “These tools are designed specifically to enable health care professionals and researchers to determine general exposure history, but more importantly, to verify that saliva specimens included in surveillance programs have sufficient levels of total antibody to minimize the risk of false-negative determinations,” says Steve Granger, Ph.D., Salimetrics Chief Scientific Officer. “We pooled resources to design a SARS-CoV-2 IgG N-protein antibody assay that would be effective in facilitating scientific knowledge and supporting safe, scientific-based decision-making.” Developed in close coordination with colleagues and experts in clinical- and immune-surveillance and SARS-CoV-2 immunology, Salimetrics’ SARS-CoV-2 IgG (N-protein) ELISA Kit was designed to be practical, non-invasive, and to fill the urgent need for large-scale monitoring or seroprevalence of coronavirus infections.

This assay also fills a critical knowledge gap by simplifying a method to determine the actual spread of COVID-19 infections and provide identification and tracking for exposed-asymptomatic individuals. While the full extent of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence remains unclear, broad population-based immune testing will provide data to accurately define infection prevalence until treatments or vaccines become widely available. Several studies have indicated that saliva is a reliable tool for SARS-CoV-2 virus detection. This research has culminated into several EUAs for the diagnosis of COVID-19 by RT-PCR, using saliva as a sample type, including the high-profile test from Yale, performed in collaboration with the NBA. Their data identifies saliva to be an equivalent if not more sensitive sample type compared to nasopharyngeal swabs for virus detection. Considering that large-scale collections of saliva samples have begun in community settings including schools and universities to meet the increased demand for testing, these same samples can also be used to monitor the spread of virus exposure within these community settings by determining the percentage positive for antibodies to the virus. Since IgG in saliva originates from serum, antibody testing for the SARS-CoV-2 N-protein in saliva provides a valuable alternative over traditional blood-based serology which can even facilitate home-based sampling. “The science and technology for oral fluid-based research has advanced to the point where we can enable serosurveys to occur at a population-based level without risking the health and safety of researchers in obtaining samples,” says Granger.

The Salimetrics SARS-CoV-2 (N-protein) assay detects IgG-based antibodies related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a familiar 96-well, ELISA format, enabling researchers to screen a large number of participants for indications of past or recent infection. The SARS-CoV-2 (N-protein) Salivary IgG Assay Kit has a sensitivity of 92%, while equally maintaining a 97% specificity. While N-protein IgG remains the most dominant immunoglobulin for SARS-CoV-2 detection, Salimetrics is also developing an oral fluid-based assay for Spike protein antibodies. The release of this complementary assay kit will follow later this year.

Since 1998, Salimetrics has provided tools to the salivary bioscience community to help solve key issues related to the collection and assay of saliva and oral fluid samples. The mission at Salimetrics has always been to adapt and respond to the scientific community’s needs, provide the best tools, and ensure that each product has the highest level of utility, precision, or reproducibility. For more information, or to pre-order the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2, N) Salivary IgG ELISA Kit, researchers can Ask an Expert or visit Salimetrics.com.

About Salimetrics:

Salimetrics assay kits and CLIA-certified testing services are used to measure salivary analytes related to stress, behavior and development, inflammation, sleep, reproduction, health and immune function. Founded in 1998 by Douglas A. Granger, Ph.D., Salimetrics, LLC supports CROs, pharmaceuticals, academic researchers and the immunodiagnostic industry around the world with innovative immunoassay products, non-invasive saliva collection methods, and laboratory testing services.

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