Microbix Biosystems Inc (MBXBF)

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Microbix & Seegene Canada Form COVID-Variant Collaboration


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MBXBF
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Microbix Biosystems Inc.
Mon, March 15, 2021, 7:00 AM


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MBXBF
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Focus on Supporting Canadian Labs with Variant-related Assays and QAPs

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario and TORONTO, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microbix Biosystems Inc. (TSX: MBX, OTCQB: MBXBF, Microbix®), a life sciences innovator and exporter, and Seegene Canada Inc. (Seegene®), a provider of leading-edge molecular diagnostics assays and instruments (made by Seegene Inc. of Seoul, Korea), are pleased to announce a collaboration under which Seegene will distribute and recommend Microbix’s new COVID-variant Quality Assessment Products (QAPs™) to monitor the workflow accuracy of Seegene Allplex® assays across Canada.

In this collaboration, Seegene becomes a QAPs distributor and will recommend Microbix’s whole-genome COVID-variant QAPs to support Seegene’s molecular assays that detect the more-contagious emerging strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – initially the Brazilian, South African, & UK variants (P.1, B.1.351, & B1.1.7 respectively). Seegene’s unique Allplex assays more rapidly and economically detect the genetic point-mutations associated with these variants. In turn, Microbix’s novel COVID-variant QAPs will monitor the workflow accuracy and laboratory testing performance of those assays.

Combining Seegene’s Allplex new-variant detection assays with Microbix’s new-variant QAPs creates a faster, less-expensive, accurate, and effective means of assessing the prevalence of viral variants in populations. Use of Allplex and QAPs is therefore a superior alternative to costly and slow genomic-sequencing of patient samples. The resulting accurate knowledge of the presence and proportion of viral variants is critical for public health decision-making, including about the severity of lockdowns and the timing and extent of re-openings.

Seegene Allplex assays are designed to readily detect even single-nucleotide changes to genetic sequences and are therefore well-suited to viral variant detection (kits are now available in Canada on an RUO basis). Microbix’s QAPs are available to support both PCR-based (molecular) and antigen-based SARS-CoV-2 assays in refrigerator-stable liquid vials or formatted on Copan® FLOQSwabs® and room-temperature stable. Microbix’s PROCEEDx™ brand QAPs are RUO samples, while its REDx™ brand QAPs are In-Vitro Diagnostic “IVD” Controls. Regular use of QAPs helps ensure the accuracy of laboratory-conducted assays, such as for variant detection.

James Yantzi, CEO of Seegene Canada, commented, “It is vital for Canadian laboratories to have immediate access to the tools they require to generate the data that guides Canada’s public health responses. We’re therefore very pleased to collaborate with Microbix to help ensure the accuracy of our viral variant assays.”

Phil Casselli, SVP of Business Development at Microbix, remarked, “The emergence of variant viral strains drove us to create additional QAPs to support important new assays such as Seegene’s. We are delighted to count Seegene Canada as a supporter of Microbix, a technical collaborator, and our latest QAPs distributor.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microbix-seegene-canada-form-covid-110000716.html