New Rapid COVID-19 Test Detects Virus RNA Within Minutes

Rapid COVID-19 nanotechnology-based test supported by US NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program reduces test time from 15-20 minutes to 3 minutes.

PALO ALTO, CA, USA, October 14, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The US National Institutes of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx SM) program is supporting Palogen, Inc.’s New Ion (TM) rapid test technology which can detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA within 3 minutes. The advanced nano-electronic biosensor technology is in trials for US FDA EAU as a point-of-care test in medical settings. Palogen, Inc. is also pursuing over-the-counter and prescription home use designation for its high innovation single use test chip and reader.

The technology behind the New Ion’s fingernail-sized nano electronic chip relies on millions of small holes called ‘nanopores’ across the surface of a silicon chip. These nanopores greatly expand the detection surface to sensitively and directly recognize the electrical charge of viral RNA. By removing the DNA or RNA amplification reaction, a key step in RT-PCR and LAMP-based tests, detection time drops to ~3 minutes from 15 to 30 minutes, including sampling, analysis and results. A low cost USB-powered compact reader measures the signal produced by virus’ genetic fragments. The technology can assess multiple genes simultaneously and tests are in development for cancer, influenza, HIV, Lyme disease, among others.

“New Ion is an accurate, low cost and portable technology to easily detect COVID-19 in just a few minutes,” reports Palogen CEO Kyung Joon Han. “We now have a highly versatile technology which we believe will be widely adopted as a complete health monitoring system to further decentralize healthcare and enable remote care and telehealth.”

Palogen’s New Ion is supported by the US NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx SM) initiative and has been funded in whole, or in part, with Federal funds from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract #75N92021C00025. It is also financially supported by the Korea Ministries of Science, SMEs and Startups, Health and Welfare and the Seoul Metro Government.

Michael Masterman-Smith
US Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program
+1 310-804-5761
michael@creativesciencesinc.com
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