Ebola Rapid Lateral Flow Test Previewed at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 27 Jul 2015 |

Image: The AtomoRapid lateral flow immunoassay diagnostic platform (Photo courtesy of Atomo Diagnostics).
A novel rapid point-of-care assay for the diagnosis of Ebolavirus infection was introduced at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo (Atlanta, GA, USA).
BBI Solutions (Cardiff, United Kingdom), a biotech company that supplies a range of mouse monoclonal antibodies for detecting the Ebola virus, announced from its booth (3665) at the AACC Annual meeting that that it would soon release a rapid test for Ebola in association with the technology transfer company Ploughshare Innovations (Stockbridge, United Kingdom).
The test is built around the highly regarded Atomo Diagnostics (Sydney, Australia) lateral flow technology and provides a result in approximately 20 minutes. Five Ebola antibodies against the Zaire and Sudan strains of Ebolavirus have been tested successfully with this system. BBI Solutions also provides a panel comprising 13 different monoclonal antibodies, to the Zaire and Sudan strains.
The lateral flow test has already been evaluated in the field. In trials in Sierra Leone a 100% detection rate was achieved for 138 participants. At low positive levels the test achieved 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity, and at a high positive, 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity. This performance suggests that the BBI Solutions assay is potentially more sensitive and specific than other lateral flow or dipstick type assays currently available.
Leigh Thomas, chief commercial officer at BBI Solutions, said, “BBI has developed high performance lateral flow tests for some of the world’s leading diagnostic companies for over 25 years. Our expertise and flexibility has allowed us to quickly deploy a team and develop a rapid test in nine months which, based on field testing, promises to have an immediate and positive impact on the Ebola crisis. We are pleased that our test will meet an immediate need in the field and ultimately improve the lives of others.”
Related Links:
2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
BBI Solutions
Atomo Diagnostics
BBI Solutions (Cardiff, United Kingdom), a biotech company that supplies a range of mouse monoclonal antibodies for detecting the Ebola virus, announced from its booth (3665) at the AACC Annual meeting that that it would soon release a rapid test for Ebola in association with the technology transfer company Ploughshare Innovations (Stockbridge, United Kingdom).
The test is built around the highly regarded Atomo Diagnostics (Sydney, Australia) lateral flow technology and provides a result in approximately 20 minutes. Five Ebola antibodies against the Zaire and Sudan strains of Ebolavirus have been tested successfully with this system. BBI Solutions also provides a panel comprising 13 different monoclonal antibodies, to the Zaire and Sudan strains.
The lateral flow test has already been evaluated in the field. In trials in Sierra Leone a 100% detection rate was achieved for 138 participants. At low positive levels the test achieved 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity, and at a high positive, 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity. This performance suggests that the BBI Solutions assay is potentially more sensitive and specific than other lateral flow or dipstick type assays currently available.
Leigh Thomas, chief commercial officer at BBI Solutions, said, “BBI has developed high performance lateral flow tests for some of the world’s leading diagnostic companies for over 25 years. Our expertise and flexibility has allowed us to quickly deploy a team and develop a rapid test in nine months which, based on field testing, promises to have an immediate and positive impact on the Ebola crisis. We are pleased that our test will meet an immediate need in the field and ultimately improve the lives of others.”
Related Links:
2015 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
BBI Solutions
Atomo Diagnostics
Latest AACC 2015 News
- Automated Molecular Diagnostics System Presented at AACC 2015
- Portable Molecular Diagnostics System Unveiled At 2015 AACC
- Expanded Steroid Control Launched at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Innovative New Technology to Provide Plastic-Exterior Components with Glass Interior, Presented at AACC 2015
- Eco-Friendly Immunoassay Reagents Featured at AACC 2015
- Low Cost Point-of-Care DNA Amplification Test for Chlamydia Infection Demonstrated at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Inexpensive Multipurpose Point-of-Care Analyzer Unveiled at 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- State-of-the-Art Automated Laboratory Systems Highlighted at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Siemens Showcases Multiple New IVD Solutions at AACC 2015
- New HPLC Quadruples Clinical Throughput Capabilities, Displayed at AACC 2015
- Diagnostic Test that Measures Active Renin in Hypertension Displayed at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- Hair Testing May Offer Insights into Asthma-Related Complications in Pregnancy
- Two Newly Developed Tests May Better Diabetes Diagnosis and Monitoring
- CE Marking of Theranostic Monitoring Test Announced at 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
- AACC: Better Quality and Patient-Friendliness Needed in Direct Testing
- Clinical Chemistry Instruments and Reagents Under Scrutiny at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Chemical Imaging Probe Could Track and Treat Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of illness and death among men, with many patients eventually developing resistance to standard hormone-blocking therapies. These drugs often lose effectiveness... Read more
Mismatch Between Two Common Kidney Function Tests Indicates Serious Health Problems
Creatinine has long been the standard for measuring kidney filtration, while cystatin C — a protein produced by all human cells — has been recommended as a complementary marker because it is influenced... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Pinprick Blood Test Could Detect Disease 10 Years Before Symptoms Appear
Many serious conditions begin silently years before symptoms appear, yet routine screening rarely detects these early physiological shifts. A powerful new solution is emerging: pinprick blood tests driven... Read more
Refined C-Reactive Protein Cutoffs Help Assess Sepsis Risk in Preterm Babies
Early-onset sepsis (EOS) is a dangerous bloodstream infection that appears in the first three days of life, yet its early symptoms resemble many benign newborn conditions. To support urgent treatment decisions,... Read more
Blood Test Accurately Detects Brain Amyloid Pathology in Symptomatic Patients
New research has reinforced the use of a novel blood test as a highly accurate tool for detecting brain amyloid pathology in symptomatic patients, helping healthcare professionals in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.... Read moreHematology
view channel
Platelet Activity Blood Test in Middle Age Could Identify Early Alzheimer’s Risk
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the biggest unmet needs in neurology, particularly because the biological changes underlying the disorder begin decades before memory symptoms appear.... Read more
Microvesicles Measurement Could Detect Vascular Injury in Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Assessing disease severity in sickle cell disease (SCD) remains challenging, especially when trying to predict hemolysis, vascular injury, and risk of complications such as vaso-occlusive crises.... Read more
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Gene Signature Test Predicts Response to Key Breast Cancer Treatment
DK4/6 inhibitors paired with hormone therapy have become a cornerstone treatment for advanced HR+/HER2– breast cancer, slowing tumor growth by blocking key proteins that drive cell division.... Read more
Chip Captures Cancer Cells from Blood to Help Select Right Breast Cancer Treatment
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for about a quarter of all breast cancer cases and generally carries a good prognosis. This non-invasive form of the disease may or may not become life-threatening.... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Rapid Assay Identifies Bloodstream Infection Pathogens Directly from Patient Samples
Bloodstream infections in sepsis progress quickly and demand rapid, precise diagnosis. Current blood-culture methods often take one to five days to identify the pathogen, leaving clinicians to treat blindly... Read more
Blood-Based Molecular Signatures to Enable Rapid EPTB Diagnosis
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) remains difficult to diagnose and treat because it spreads beyond the lungs and lacks easily accessible biomarkers. Despite TB infecting 10 million people yearly, the... Read more
15-Minute Blood Test Diagnoses Life-Threatening Infections in Children
Distinguishing minor childhood illnesses from potentially life-threatening infections such as sepsis or meningitis remains a major challenge in emergency care. Traditional tests can take hours, leaving... Read more
High-Throughput Enteric Panels Detect Multiple GI Bacterial Infections from Single Stool Swab Sample
Gastrointestinal (GI) infections are among the most common causes of illness worldwide, leading to over 1.7 million deaths annually and placing a heavy burden on healthcare systems. Conventional diagnostic... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Tool Predicts Treatment Success in Rectal Cancer Patients
Artificial intelligence (AI) may soon help clinicians identify which rectal cancer patients are likely to respond well to treatment, using only the routine biopsy slides already obtained at diagnosis.... Read more
Blood Test and Sputum Analysis Predict Acute COPD Exacerbation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major contributor to global illness, largely driven by cigarette smoking and marked by irreversible lung damage. Acute exacerbations can accelerate... Read more
AI Tool to Transform Skin Cancer Detection with Near-Perfect Accuracy
Melanoma continues to be one of the most difficult skin cancers to diagnose because it often resembles harmless moles or benign lesions. Traditional AI tools depend heavily on dermoscopic images alone,... Read more
Unique Immune Signatures Distinguish Rare Autoimmune Condition from Multiple Sclerosis
Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody–associated disease (MOGAD) is a rare autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath in the central nervous system. Although symptoms... Read moreTechnology
view channel
AI Saliva Sensor Enables Early Detection of Head and Neck Cancer
Early detection of head and neck cancer remains difficult because the disease produces few or no symptoms in its earliest stages, and lesions often lie deep within the head or neck, where biopsy or endoscopy... Read more
AI-Powered Biosensor Technology to Enable Breath Test for Lung Cancer Detection
Detecting lung cancer early remains one of the biggest challenges in oncology, largely because current tools are invasive, expensive, or unable to identify the disease in its earliest phases.... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Abbott Acquires Cancer-Screening Company Exact Sciences
Abbott (Abbott Park, IL, USA) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Exact Sciences (Madison, WI, USA), enabling it to enter and lead in fast-growing cancer diagnostics segments.... Read more









