New Rapid COVID-19 Test to Improve Response to Future Outbreaks

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 22 Mar 2022

Image: A new COVID-19 test could have a huge social and economic impact (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

A new COVID-19 test that is currently being developed could have a huge social and economic impact and completely change the response in the travel and leisure industries, according to the team behind the project.

The project designed by researchers at Lancaster University (Lancaster, UK) and the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (Lancaster, UK), in collaboration with Glyconics (Lancaster, UK), is looking to create a handheld device which requires a nasal or saliva sample to deliver an extremely accurate COVID-19 diagnosis within seconds. The device uses innovative infrared spectroscopy and with a proprietary algorithm, that can be Cloud-based, to identify the biomarkers which indicate the presence of the virus.

The portable devices could be stationed at the entrance to sports or concert arenas, or at airport check-in desks for people travelling abroad to provide almost instant reassurance for anyone flying or attending a busy event. As the results are immediately entered into an online database, the system could also help give an accurate real-time picture of the prevalence of COVID-19 in a set geographic area - providing vital data for those working on the response strategy. The process will be tested using live human COVID-19 samples. Initial findings have been encouraging and the project is currently working on testing greater numbers of samples to strengthen the data before, ultimately, moving on to clinical trials.

“This is an important project which could revolutionize the travel and leisure sectors’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic - and also help in monitoring any new mutations which may arise. Current testing for COVID-19 is either through Rapid Lateral Flow Tests, which have limited accuracy and may give rise to false negative and positive results, or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests that also have limitations,” said Professor Ihtesham Rehman, Chair of Bioengineering at Lancaster University. “The PCR test requires laboratory capability, huge transportation and logistical requirements and takes a significant amount of time to deliver a result. Lateral Flow Test kits contain several single-use-plastic components and require several steps over fifteen minutes.

“With our new test we would be able to have a cost-effective handheld testing device somewhere like an airport check-in desk or entrance to a sports arena - or even at a GP practice, point of care facilities or at hospital and university entrances - which would be able to scan a sample and deliver a result almost immediately.”

“Rapid and accurate COVID testing is essential to control the spread of the infection both in hospitals and the community. Our test will be quick, accurate and simple to perform and so can be used both for diagnosis and widespread screening in the population if needed,” said Professor Craig Williams, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

“It is great to work with this team of experts in developing a true rapid point-of-care test for COVID, that has the potential to remove many of the logistical and practical problems caused by the testing requirements, for control of the virus,” added Dr. Niall Gallen, CTO at Glyconics.