LabCorp Launches Antibody Test to Help Develop COVID-19 Vax
Burlington-based LabCorp has launched a new antibody test for research labs, the latest in a string of contributions to the fight against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The company’s antibody test, Cov2Quant IgG, detects and quantifies the antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in a person’s system. Researchers will use the test to help evaluate the performance of vaccines currently in clinical trials.
While other antibody tests have been developed, LabCorp’s is unique because it goes beyond testing the presence of antibodies to determining antibody levels. With this information, researchers can determine the strength of an individual’s immune response, which is critical to evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines and therapies.
“Medical science and technology are the best ways to mitigate COVID-19, and our development of this quantitative assay is an important step in helping bring effective treatments and vaccines to patients,” said Paul Kirchgraber, M.D., MBA, the CEO of LabCorp’s drug development business, Covance. “LabCorp’s quantitative antibody test represents a significant advancement by giving scientists and researchers a more precise, detailed picture of the level of immune response. This will aid the scientific community as it works to characterize the immune response to SARS-CoV-2.”
LabCorp continues fight against COVID-19
LabCorp’s COVID-19 test portfolio provides researchers and clinicians tools for diagnosing, evaluation and vaccine development, including:
- First commercially available COVID-19 test released on March 5
- First FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for at-home collection
- First online consumer-initiated antibody testing
- FDA EUA for asymptomatic testing and matrixed pool testing
- First combined test for multiples respiratory infections