Optofluidic Bioassay is here with a strong, low-cost imaging platform that uses the laboratory on-a-chip technology for fast coronavirus diagnostic and antibody testing. It is a new antibody test developed by the researchers at Optofluidic Bioassay that can detect the presence of antibodies generated in the body with more accuracy in response to COVID-19. It is a much faster and efficient testing method to measure the high levels of neutralizing antibodies to understand the COVID-19 disease better.
This COVID-19 antibody test can be done with a microfluidic device invented and developed by the University of Michigan start-up Optofluidic Bioassay. Optofluidic’s new testing system involves the microfluidic approach, which led to a gold-standard testing protocol recognized as “enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,” or ELISA. Our device can identify the COVID-19 antibodies in human blood in much short time duration. The microfluidic device or lab-on-a-chip shrink’s multiple lab functions into a single chip millimeter to centimeters in size. This test is different from the standard ELISA test, which usually takes several hours for analysis. On the contrary, On-a-Chip Antibody Test gives quantitative results in a few minutes with a finger prick. Moreover, this test also detects synthetic COVID-19 antibodies. Thus, anyone working on COVID-19 antibody tests can use their components in our microfluidic device. Moreover, before letting this on-a-chip antibody test available in the market, small-scale testing has been conducted in some countries.
Antibody tests are one of two dominant COVID-19 tests; the other is polymerize chain reaction or PCR. The antibody test differs from the PCR test because it detects the antibodies in the human blood sample rather than the virus itself.
The majority of rapid diagnostic antibody tests give quick yes or no readings. However, these tests do not give more information, and thus, they are not much helpful in monitoring the immune system’s response during the COVID treatment. In addition, although these tests are quick, they have several drawbacks. But Optofluidic Bioassay on-a-Chip Antibody Test uses best of both the dominant COVID procedures, thus offering accuracy of standard ELISA quantitative measure with quickness and simplicity. In addition, our device generates sensitive measurements. Thus the researchers believe that its use will go beyond identifying recovered patients, such as monitoring patient’s immune response to infection, treatment, and vaccination as antibodies begin to show up a few days after the infection.
Optofluidic Bioassay’s on-a-chip antibody test is moderately priced, and thus making it the most feasible option for hospitals, clinics, and even pharmacies.
The need for the on-a-chip antibody test by Optofluidic Bioassay
As mentioned above, this antibody test’s accuracy plays a vital role for the governments, medical workers, scientists, and citizens all over for circumventing the pandemic. This test helps to reveals who have already been exposed to the virus or developed immunity for that temporarily. If done in a widespread way, this test can help resolve the pandemic crisis. This on-a-chip antibody approach is also helpful in getting real-time results on how patients respond to their treatment or the vaccine.
The impact of Optofluidic Bioassay on-a-chip antibody test
Large-scale testing with Optofluidic Bioassay on-a-chip antibody test helps determine the percentage of the population who have suffered from coronavirus but never showed the symptoms, which can cause a significant impact on public health. In addition, this test also helps to determine what antibodies are produced in the human body to administer the proper vaccine dosage. Our goal is to scale up the production of this device and the testing samples per unit a day to make it accessible on a world scale. Get in touch with Optofluidic Bioassay to know more about this on-a-chip antibody test for COVID-19.
