COVID-19 PCR testing for active infections has been in the news since the start of the pandemic last year. Although necessary, this PCR test provides limited information to many clinicians, scientists, and epidemiologists on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In particular, the PCR test does not provide any information on undiagnosed or asymptomatic cases. The practical way to examine the true number of infections is to study the antibody response to COVID-19.
After an active infection has been cleared, the adaptive immune response to COVID-19 infection remains. There is concern that this immune response may wane over time, and those previously infected may be protected for only a few months. The same immune response exists in those who have been vaccinated, and the length of time that response remains active in the vaccinated is also uncertain. Examining the longevity of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination can be studied by monitoring antibody levels.
Clinicians and epidemiologists are not the only scientists needing information about responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Research and development, and preclinical studies can also be informed by looking at antibody responses. Assays in these fields must also be able to accommodate infections in different species.
Introducing a flexible, ready-to-use SARS-CoV-2 serology assay
Bio-Rad’s Bio-Plex Multiplex SARS-CoV-2 Serology Assays* provide an all-in-one, ready-to-use solution to the needs of all scientists, clinicians, and epidemiologists studying the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Viral-protein coupled bead assay
The all-in-one kit comes with beads coated with a mix of four SARS-CoV-2 proteins—nucleocapsid protein (N), receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit, spike 1 subunit (S1), and spike 2 subunit (S2). The kit arrives with premixed coupled beads, an isotype-specific detection antibody, buffers, and diluents for running a 96-well plate. The kit also has positive and negative controls.
Small sample size
Multiplexing—by adding all viral protein coated beads into one well—helps preserve precious sample. Requiring only 5 µL, even small volume mouse samples can be handled. The 96-well format also means you can process dozens of samples simultaneously. Although the kit can be used with any Luminex reader, it is ideally suited to work with the Bio-Plex family of equipment and software, saving you time, as well as sample.
Flexible options
For applications needing more flexibility, the components are also available individually. This allows for studies on the immune response to the individual viral proteins. It also allows assays to be developed for any species—just add a biotinylated antibody for the species being studied.
New Bio-Plex Pro Panel — Quantitate Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Bio-Rad also has a new approach to rapidly quantitate neutralizing antibodies against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and variants. The Bio-Plex Pro Human SARS-CoV-2 Variant Neutralization Antibody 11-Plex Panel* simultaneously detects neutralizing antibodies against wild type and variants of the spike 1 and receptor binding domain protein subunits.
These precise, highly sensitive assays assess the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapeutics. It can also be used to compare the effectiveness of naturally acquired and vaccine-induced antibody responses to emerging variants of interest or concern. Screen as many or as few variants as you’d like with the panel’s flexible design.
Trust the multiplex-assay experts at Bio-Rad to help improve the speed, accuracy, and reliability of your SARS-CoV-2 serology studies.
*For research use only