Source: www.fiercepharma.com
As we enter a new stage of the pandemic in 2022 wherein the omicron variant begins to split into new ‘subvariants’, reminding the world of the ever-evolving nature of the virus and its capability to change its response to the tools developed to fight it alongwith its effect on the body. So in order to better equip ourselves to respond to it, Roche, pharmaceutical and diagnostics company based in Switzerland and TIB Molbiol, its subsidiary have developed a COVID-19 test for researchers which detects and also differentiates the most recent BA.2.75 subvariant of interest by targeting the two of the unique mutations in BA.2.75 which are different from other notable subvariants.
BA.2.75 variant related to the omicron variant has cases which have been reported in more than a dozen countries since it was first discovered in India in May 2022. Though it has not yet reached the level of variant of concern but differentiating it from BA.4 and BA.5 permits its better monitoring and tracking of how it is spreading. Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are keeping a vigil on this subvariant.
The COVID-19 test kits developed by Roche and TIB Molbiol includes kits for detecting the recent BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants alongwith other mutations found in the omicron SARS-COV-2 variant.
