Clinical diagnostics company Novacyt (Euronext Growth:ALNOV) (AIM:NCYT) revealed on Tuesday that it has launched its research-use-only (RUO) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) monkeypox assay in response to the recent outbreak of the virus in non-endemic countries.
This assay expands Novacyt's genesig real-time PCR diagnostic product portfolio and is in line with its strategy to maintain its position as a global first responder in infectious diseases.
A rare viral disease, monkeypox is predominant in Central and Western Africa. The virus is zoonotic, which means transmission is primarily between animals and humans, but human-to-human transmission can also occur through contact with skin lesions, body fluids and respiratory secretions of infected animals or humans.
Novacyt added that clinical presentations of monkeypox in humans are similar to smallpox with fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and muscle aches along with characteristic pox lesions.
The company stated that its RUO monkeypox assay has been developed in two forms, genesig easy and genesig advanced, for detection of the virus genome (both West African and Central African variants). Both forms analyse DNA extracted from serum, lesion exudate or scab samples from human or animal species. The genesig advanced assay is designed to be used with any open test platform, including Novacyt's MyGo instruments, whilst the genesig easy assay is suitable for use on Novacyt's q16 and q32 instruments.
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