Avero Diagnostics, a physician-owned US laboratory, has announced the expansion of its COVID-19 testing portfolio with the addition of the Roche Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody test.
Serological testing supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) efforts to more accurately understand how many people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and how it is spreading.
This offering, available now, will complement Avero’s existing COVID-19 molecular testing programme, which Avero launched in May 2020 to support the diagnostic needs of area hospitals, health systems, multi-specialty family practices, urgent care centres, and county health departments.
The Roche test uses a blood sample to provide qualitative detection of high-affinity antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, to aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection. This assay enriches detection of higher affinity antibodies, which are more likely to be specific for SARS-CoV-2. While this assay in principle can detect antibodies of all isotypes (ie IgG, IgA, IgM), it preferentially detects IgG antibodies. This test is recommended for individuals 14 days post-symptom onset, or five to seven days following exposure to individuals with confirmed COVID-19.
The Avero Diagnostics laboratory is using the Roche immunoassay for the qualitative detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The test is an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay with 99.8% specificity. Avero can initially process approximately 800 tests per day, with the potential to scale up capacity based on demand. Avero expects to provide results within 24 to 48 hours.