Ebola Rapid Lateral Flow Test Previewed at the 2015 AACC Annual Meeting

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 28 Jul 2015

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).

Image: The AtomoRapid lateral flow immunoassay diagnostic platform (Photo courtesy of Atomo Diagnostics).

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