REG - BATM Advanced Comm - COVID-19 tests effective in diagnosing Omicron

Batm Advanced CommunicationsAnnouncement

30/11/2021 07:00

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RNS Number : 9508T  BATM Advanced Communications Ld  30 November 2021

LEI: 213800FLQUB9J289RU66

30 November 2021

 

BATM Advanced Communications Limited

("BATM" or "the Group")

 

BATM confirms effectiveness of its COVID-19 RT-PCR tests in diagnosing Omicron
strain

 

BATM (LSE: BVC; TASE: BVC), a leading provider of real-time technologies for
networking solutions and medical laboratory systems, announces that its
COVID-19 RT-PCR kits have been validated as effective against the new
SARS-CoV-2 variant, Omicron, and confirms that they can accurately diagnose
COVID-19 in someone with this new strain.

 

The new SARS-CoV-2 variant - B.1.1.529, named Omicron - has a large number of
spike (S) protein mutations as well as mutations in other genomic regions.
These mutations enable COVID-19 to go undetected with some competing COVID-19
tests, providing false negative results.

 

The Group continually tests its kits, which were developed in partnership with
Tor Vergata University in Rome, Italy, against any mutation that is perceived
to be clinically material to ensure its kits are accurately able to detect all
known variants of COVID-19. The Group's COVID-19 RT-PCR 4 gene kit, which is
also used for the Group's saliva-based test, as well as its RT-PCR 3 gene kit
have been confirmed by the Group as effective against the Omicron strain,
which has been verified by external scientific experts. The kits had also
previously been proven as valid against the alpha, beta, gamma and delta
variants.

 

BATM's RT-PCR COVID-19 kits, which are molecular diagnostics tests, are
developed and produced by the Group's Adaltis subsidiary as MOLgen SARS-CoV-2
(S) 4 gene and MOLgen SARS-CoV-2 3 gene. Further detail on the MOLgen
SARS-CoV-2 kits can be found below and in the following report published in
Nature: here (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98114-5) .

 

Dr Zvi Marom, CEO of BATM, said: "I am pleased to confirm that our COVID-19
RT-PCR tests are effective in accurately detecting all COVID-19 variants,
including in those infected with this latest mutation. Viruses constantly
change through mutation and our diagnostics platform has been built on our
recognition that we must always think of the future. As a result, we were able
to rapidly develop COVID-19 tests in response to the outbreak and those kits
have been designed to be effective against the emergence of new variants."

 

Enquiries:

 BATM Advanced Communications
 Dr Zvi Marom, Chief Executive Officer                          +972 9866 2525
 Moti Nagar, Chief Financial Officer

 Shore Capital
 Mark Percy, Anita Ghanekar, James Thomas (Corporate Advisory)  +44 20 7408 4050

 Henry Willcocks (Corporate Broking)

 Luther Pendragon
 Harry Chathli, Claire Norbury                                  +44 20 7618 9100

 

 

Further information

 

MOLgen SARS-CoV-2 Real Time RT-PCR Kit is used for the qualitative detection of Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), by Reverse Transcription (RT) and Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) from RNA extracted from human respiratory specimens such as nasopharyngeal swabs, oropharyngeal swabs, salivary specimens and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

 

MOLgen kits are available in two formats: 3 gene or 4 gene kits.

 

For the 4 gene kit, the primer and probe set is designed to detect SARS-CoV-2
identifying 4 targets: 3 specific for SARS-CoV-2 (N gene, S Gene, E gene) and
1 common for sabercoviridae (RdRp gene).

 

The 3 gene kit targets the N, E and RdRp genes and was proven as specific and
sensitive, Favaro et al. Scientific Reports, 2021, 11, 18995.

 

The detection of amplified virus RNA fragment is performed in fluorimeter
channel FAM (RdRp gene), ROX/Texas Red (E gene), Cy5.5/Alexa Fluor (S gene)
and CY5 (N gene).

 

The use of human beta actina as Internal Control (IC) on HEX channel ensure
the monitoring correct amplification and cellularity of the samples.

 

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