Norgen Biotek Offers First-Class Products to Assist Researchers in the Study and Molecular Diagnosis of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak
Norgen Biotek is offering a number of products to researchers studying COVID-19
THOROLD, ON, CANADA — February 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Norgen Biotek Corp., an innovative privately held Canadian biotechnology company focusing primarily on advancing powerful tools for nucleic acid and protein stabilization and purification, today (Feb. 18) announced that they are offering a number of products to the scientific and medical community to support the study of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19, formerly 2019-nCoV) outbreak in humans. These include products for the collection, stabilization, and transport of samples suspected to contain virus, kits for the purification of the viral RNA, as well as primers, controls, and master mixes for use in detection of the virus. These products can be viewed on Norgen's website at www.norgenbiotek.com/coronavirus.
This novel coronavirus has caused an outbreak of respiratory illness, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently termed COVID-19. The outbreak started in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and has now spread throughout the world to many different countries. Accurate diagnosis of COVID-2019 infection is through the use of real-time RT PCR (rRT-PCR) assays for the in vitro qualitative detection of the virus in respiratory specimens and sera. The CDC has published full guidelines on their website for the collection, storage, and handling of specimens, nucleic acid extraction, quality control, the rRT-PCT detection assays, and interpreting test results (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/rt-pcr-detection-instructions.html).
Norgen Biotek is offering a number of products to researchers studying COVID-19. Norgen's Swab Collection and Total Nucleic Acid Preservation System (Cat. 68800) is designed for the collection, ambient storage, and transport of total nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from samples collected using a swab, including nasal, buccal, saliva, fecal, skin, surfaces, and more. Once collected, the swabs are placed into Norgen's Swab Preservative, which preserves the RNA at room temperature for up to two months and allows for the samples to be handled and shipped safely. Norgen also offers our market-leading RNA isolation kits, based on our proprietary resin, to isolate the preserved RNA from these samples. As well, Norgen is also offering the 2019-nCoV Primer & Probe Mix (Cat. TM67101) to researchers. This product includes all 4 CDC 2019-nCoV probe/primers in individual tubes, which are premixed to the working concentrations recommended by the CDC. The protocol provided by the CDC can then be followed for viral detection. We also offer the 2019-nCoV RT-PCR Positive Control (Cat. PC67102). The control plasmid contains the CDC 2019-nCoV markers (N1,N2,N3) and RNase P gene which are compatible with the CDC 2019-nCoV specific primer/probe sets. In addition, we also offer our 2X One-Step RT-PCR Master Mix (Cat. 28113) to be used with the probe & primer mix and positive controls. All of these products are manufactured under Norgen's ISO 13485:2016 quality system.
"We are pleased to be able to do our part in the world-wide fight against this newly emerging coronavirus. As experts in sample collection and preservation, nucleic acid isolation, and molecular diagnostics, we are happy to offer these first class products to the scientific community," said Dr. Yousef Haj-Ahmad, president & CEO of Norgen Biotek.