20 July 2022 - - US-based health technology company nference has forged a new research partnership following the publication of a study demonstrating the value of characterizing SARS-CoV-2 viral sequences using its newly introduced 'Distinctiveness' metric, the company said.

In collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, the study, titled "Quantifying the immunological distinctiveness of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the context of prior regional herd exposure," was published in PNAS Nexus.

Study authors examined and compared the amino-acid changes that have occurred in all SARS-CoV-2 genomes collected to date. Results showed that new sequences accumulate mutations, which make them distinct from other viral sequences that circulated previously within the same geographical region.

The study provides the first compelling genomic signal for how highly transmissive and immuno-evasive variants, like Omicron and Delta, may be able to out-compete thousands of other circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages to emerge as dominant variants of concern within a specific region.

Sequences belonging to these variants of concern exhibited significantly higher values based on the newly introduced Distinctiveness metric when compared with other contemporary sequences of that same region.

Leveraging their experience in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 sequences, researchers from the NIH-led ACTIV Tracking Resistance and Coronavirus Evolution (TRACE) Working Group were able to label which parts of the viral sequence were specifically important to track with the Distinctiveness metric.

This latest study by nference builds on a prolific COVID-19 research initiative that has resulted in a series of peer-reviewed publications, many of which are published in partnership with academic medical centers, health systems, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies as well as government health agencies, including the ACTIV TRACE Working Group.

These studies have revealed important molecular, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 viral lifecycle and the real-world impact of the COVID-19 vaccines.

NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

About ACTIV Tracking Resistance and Coronavirus Evolution (TRACE) Working Group
The ACTIV TRACE initiative aims to prioritize which viral variants should be studied to determine the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics currently in late stages of development against these variants; coordinate data sharing; and confirm testing and periodic (e.g. weekly) public reporting of results to allow confident decision making by the US government, health professionals, and pharmaceutical organizations.

ACTIV TRACE is being led by NIH and facilitated by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, with participation by the ACTIV public-private partners.