PerkinElmer has introduced its new NEXTFLEX Variant-Seq SARS-CoV-2 Kit v2 for research use only (RUO) to boost SARS-CoV-2 variants detection.
The new SARS-CoV-2 test kit is a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay that will help labs increase sequencing throughput and reliably identify variants.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
It uses positive SARS-CoV-2 samples to detect mutations associated with all variants of SARS-CoV-2, including the new Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant.
The NEXTFLEX Variant-Seq SARS-CoV-2 Kit v2 incorporates Nextflex normalisation beads and is beneficial for laboratories in terms of scalability, cost savings and speed.
It minimises turn-around time by up to three hours, on an average of 96 samples, due to eliminating the need for quantification of individual library samples before the pooling step.
With a streamlined protocol, the new kit features improved manual and automatic workflows that use consistent input volumes at all sample preparation steps.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataPerkinElmer applied genomics general manager James Atwood said: “The emergence of the Omicron variant has reaffirmed the important role that SARS-CoV-2 surveillance will play in ending the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The NEXTFLEX Variant-Seq SARS-CoV-2 Kit v2 workflow was specifically designed to meet the needs of the surveillance community by increasing speed from sample to result, increasing throughput and reducing workflow complexity.”
Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2 test kit uses 1,536 Unique Dual Index (UDI) barcodes, providing high throughput and reducing costs per sample by allowing the sequencing of 6,000 SARS-CoV-2 libraries in one flow cell.
The company stated that it also offers the PKamp VariantDetect SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Assay to detect and differentiate many known SARS-CoV-2 mutations, including Omicron, simultaneously using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) multiplexing technology.
The assay allows labs to carry out secondary testing on positive samples to identify SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations in the samples.
It can provide results within two hours and is compatible with all commonly available RT-PCR instruments.
In October, PerkinElmer received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its PKamp Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Panel 1 assay.
