SafeCollect: at home sample collection simplified
With the rise of telemedicine, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for the general public to be able to safely and successfully collect samples for testing has been highlighted. To meet this need, a simple and secure collection method that can keep samples stable for a long period of time is required.
In this interview, Stanislav Forman (left), Product Developer of nucleic acid extraction methodologies, nucleic acid preservation solutions, and sample collection devices at Zymo Research Corporation (CA, USA), reveals his latest development: SafeCollect™, designed to fulfill this requirement. Forman is the inventor of the Direct-zol™ RNA extraction method and the DNA/RNA Shield™ transport medium, both of which are widely used in the biomedical community around the world – and even in space, onboard the International Space Station.
What is SafeCollect?
SafeCollect™ is a collection device made for simple, non-invasive at-home sampling. The patented tube design features a safety seal that prevents users from spilling, ingesting, and/or being exposed to the stabilization solution. SafeCollect™ is filled with Zymo Research’s proprietary DNA/RNA Shield™ stabilization solution that preserves DNA and RNA at ambient temperature while inactivating pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2.
Where did the idea of SafeCollect originate from?
Unparalleled sample preservation/stabilization upon collection is at the core of an unbiased sample prep – Zymo Research’s long-term mission. As a nucleic acid purification company, we have been actively developing new technologies in the sample prep space for well over two decades and have supported various related efforts – from governmental agencies to the private sector. We have developed an inactivating transport media for the US Military and worked with NASA (DC, USA) on biosampling and preserving RNA in complex biological samples at ambient temperatures in space and aboard the International Space Station. Over the years, we have maintained a high level of flexibility to adapt, help and quickly meet sample collection needs for varying applications.
Fast forward to when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our company immediately implemented our existing viral sample prep workflows to meet the rising demand for mass COVID-19 testing. Using and validating all available alternatives to the uncomfortable nasopharyngeal sampling, we aimed to provide a safe and user-friendly experience when it comes to the sample collection process.
We have expedited the ongoing development and production of a safer & easier-to-use self-collection device in a short span of time. We knew this could be a critical asset for clinics and test providers needing to increase testing capacity by making at-home collection available — while maintaining superior sample preservation and transport safety (DNA/RNA Shield).
Self collect with SafeCollect™
Find out more about SafeCollect with this brochure
How Is SafeCollect different from other sample collection devices on the market?
We’ve created a device that focuses on the user experience; making sure that it is easy to collect samples while minimizing mistakes a user could make. Overall, its design is simple – a tube designed to meet industry specifications for use in existing high-throughput and automated workflows with a pierceable seal within the tube which is punctured by a special cap upon closing the tube.
Why is SafeCollect important in the current climate?
As the “Flu Season” approaches, many speculate an increase in COVID-19 as well, which means test providers and clinics are aiming to scale accordingly to meet the anticipated demand. SafeCollect™ is especially important today because it helps to increase the bandwidth of COVID-19 testing by decentralizing and expanding past the common test methods.
How could this impact at-home testing?
At-home testing is an emerging space in telehealth/telemedicine. What’s great about the SafeCollect™ device is that it combines a user-friendly design alongside our innovative technology from DNA/RNA Shield™ to reinforce sample integrity and pathogen inactivation from self-collected unsupervised samples. This ensures quality results and a level of safety during transport and sample processing. It’s essentially a second safety barrier. Ensuring that an at-home collection device can not only provide a safe but a consistent sample collecting process puts both customers and laboratory personnel as the top priority for a product. By making it easier and safer to collect clinical samples from patients at home, it will expand telehealth services and surveillance efforts past just the local scope of your doctor’s office.
This content was provided by Zymo Research. For more information on safe collect, check out the full range of SafeCollect‘s swab and saliva collection products.
