ST. LOUIS, MO — September, 28 2020 — Life Science Newswire — The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most urgent infectious disease challenges the world has faced in recent history. Presently, few treatment options exist, therefore, the need to evaluate neutralizing antibodies to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus is at an all-time high. Current screening methods to identify circulating SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies including the plaque reduction neutralization assay and other live virus cell based tests are inefficient and can require multiple days to complete.
As a result and in the pursuit for a better solution, Leinco Technologies has developed a proprietary, fully validated assay termed COVID-19 ImmunoRank™ Neutralization MICRO-ELISA test. This standard 96-well ELISA based assay is a game changer for evaluating convalescent plasma, antibody therapies, and determining the effectiveness of vaccines for COVID-19. ImmunoRank™ was developed in collaboration with ADMA Biologics.
COVID-19 ImmunoRank™ Neutralization MICRO-ELISA
This assay is intended for use as an aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection, and detection of circulating SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies of all Ig classes. SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) specific antibodies can block angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding. RBD-specific neutralizing antibodies have been identified in the plasma of convalescent COVID-19 survivors. Therefore, identifying high titer convalescent plasma is an important tool for the development of therapy. Monitoring serum for circulating SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies during vaccine development to determine continued protective immunity would be another important application of the ImmunoRank™ assay.
"The ImmunoRank™ neutralization assay will be an effective tool for monitoring vaccine responses and for selection of high titer convalescent plasma units for treatment of COVID-19," said Pat Leinert Sr., president and CEO of Leinco Technologies, Inc. He further added, "Leinco Technologies (St. Louis, Missouri) and our development partner ADMA Biologics (Boca Raton, Florida ) have teamed up to develop this assay. We feel it will provide researchers with an important tool to develop new therapies and vaccines to fight the war against the invisible enemy SARS-CoV-2."
ImmunoRank™ can test up to 90 samples per test kit with 99.8 percent specificity. Leinco is set to produce over a thousand ImmunoRank™ kits per month, sold to CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certified laboratories and hospitals, as well as sold to academic institutes and researchers to further study COVID-19.