Taking a stand against COVID-19 – Zymo viral RNA extraction kits readily available
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased demand for high-throughput testing of throat and nasopharyngeal samples. Detection of COVID-19 is PCR-based and requires the SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA to be extracted from samples prior to testing. However, suppliers of RNA extraction kits are having difficulty keeping up with increased demand due to strain placed on supply chains and manufacturing worldwide, leading many to believe that there is no end in sight to this shortage. As only about 1 in 13,000 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) individuals in the US have been tested for coronavirus, so it is critical that testing is expanded in order to gain greater control over this pandemic domestically.
Based in California, Zymo Research Corp. has responded to the demand by increasing production of the Quick-DNA/RNA Viral MagBead Kit. This kit facilitates high-throughput extraction of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA from 96 swab and saliva samples in 1-2 hours. The high-quality RNA extraction protocols of the Quick-DNA/RNA Viral MagBead Kit are adapted for industry-leading automated platforms, including Tecan, Hamilton, Thermo Scientific KingFisher, and others.
Ryan Kemp, Director of Nucleic Acid Solutions at Zymo Research Corp. commented, “It is our moral duty as fathers, mothers, children, and citizens to fight this pandemic. We are doing our part by working tirelessly to maintain supply of viral RNA extraction kits for COVID-19 testing.”
With some of the new government policies to expedite COVID-19 testing, Zymo Research has been able to file for EUA status with the FDA for its collection, extraction, and RT-PCR workflow for COVID-19 testing. In light of the current circumstances, key products for sample collection and RNA extraction are being implemented by labs working to develop their own COVID-19 testing regimens.
To better support the scientific community, Zymo Research has assembled a team of specialists dedicated to assisting labs working on this effort. Kemp notes “We are ready to supply scientists with the reagents and kits they need to sustain their development and testing efforts.”
To learn more about efforts to combat COVID-19 at Zymo Research: https://www.zymoresearch.com/pages/covid-19-efforts
Read more about Zymo here.
