RNA Disease Diagnostics (RNADD) secured an exclusive global license to a rapid ribonucleic acid-based molecular lateral flow assay (LFA) technology jointly owned by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
The technology will be used with RNADD’s proprietary AntiSense Molecular Diagnostic Platform to develop the company’s first rapid COVID-19, influenza and multiplex home-use test kits.
RNADD previously obtained from UMB and UMBC a cutting-edge electrochemical sensor technology that the company is using to develop its rapid point-of-care tests with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity that is comparable to the gold standard RT-PCR lab diagnostic.
“Licensing this ground-breaking RNA-based LFA technology developed by Professor Dipanjan Pan, Ph.D. and his teams at UMB and UMBC allows RNADD to now develop rapid, highly accurate molecular test kits for at-home use,” Allan Oberman, co-founder and chairman of RNADD, said in a statement.
He said current RT-PCR tests are highly accurate but because they require processing at a lab or the diagnostic site, they are particularly time and resource intensive.
“By eliminating the need for nucleic acid amplification and isolation, the LFA technology enables the development of viral infectious disease tests that provide results consistent with those of an RT-PCR, but can be easily conducted in the comfort of individuals’ own homes, with results available in a matter of minutes,” Mr. Oberman said.
The RNA-based LFA technology was a finalist for the Advanced Lateral Flow Conference’s Rapid Diagnostic Innovation award earlier in November.
