Armoured RNA technology was used to generate a control containing a defined RNA sequence for molecular detection of the Sars coronavirus
Ambion RNA Diagnostics, a division of Ambion, announces release of the first commercially available control for detection of the coronavirus associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).
Armoured RNA technology was used to generate a control containing a defined RNA sequence for molecular detection of the Sars coronavirus.
A novel coronavirus, for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently completed genome sequencing, is believed to be responsible for the global outbreak of Sars.
To date, the World Health Organisation and the CDC have reported a cumulative total of approximately 8400 probable Sars cases, with over 780 deaths, from 29 countries.
Armoured RNA technology is a novel system jointly invented and developed by Ambion and Cenetron Diagnostics for packaging RNA in bacteriophage coat proteins to protect and stabilise RNA.
A major application of this technology is production of viral RNA controls and standards that withstand ribonucleases and long-term storage in serum or plasma.
Since RNA standards are essential to quantitative assays of this type, maintaining the integrity of the RNA standards is crucial to obtaining reliable results. Armoured RNA standards are said to be highly uniform, precisely calibrated, and entirely non-infectious.
"It is important to have an armoured RNA control for the Sars coronavirus because it gives laboratories the ability to use a positive control that can be carried through all the steps from sample preparation and amplification to detection, and to do so without having to grow the virus or use a positive specimen," said Frederick Nolte, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory University School of Medicine.
"Ambion is very pleased and excited to contribute to the global efforts to detect and control the spread of this disease.
"This highlights the importance of the armoured RNA technology to healthcare," said Matt Winkler, CEO of Ambion.
Under a cooperative sales agreement, the armoured RNA portfolio of products is available for purchase through Boston Biomedica.
