Thermo Fisher Scientific announces launch of CE-IVD marked assay to detect treatment-resistant strains of HIV-1

US-based Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced the launch of its CE-IVD marked Applied Biosystems Taqpath Seq HIV-1 Genotyping kit. It is hoped the tool will help to monitor and treat human immunodeficiency-1 infected individuals, as well as inform epidemiologic and genetic surveillance studies who are tracking the ongoing evolution of the virus.

The CE-IVD marked Applied Biosystems Taqpath Seq HIV-1 Genotyping kit is a Sanger sequencing-based assay which examines positive samples of HIV-1 to identify genetic variants which may be causing resistance to common antiretroviral therapeutics. These samples come from RNA extracted from plasma or dried blood spots and analyse the genomic mutations in the protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase regions of the HIV-1 pol gene across nine subtypes of global significance.

Dr Manoj Gandhi, senior medical director of genetic testing solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific states: “Resistance to antiretroviral therapy is an important concern when providing care to people living with HIV. This assay, along with its ability to use either plasma or dried blood spots specimen, fulfils an unmet clinical need that can help better manage people living with HIV with the aim of having them receive more effective therapies.”

James Spargo