PR85599

LEIDEN, Netherlands and OSS, Netherlands and PISCATAWAY, New Jersey,Sept. 15, 2020/PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

cPass is first commercially available product to rapidly detect neutralizing

antibodies capable of eliminating virus

Innatoss Laboratories(https://www.innatoss.com/en/) announced today the first

neutralizing antibody testing service against SARS-CoV-2 for the public in

Europe, using GenScript's cPass (TM) SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody

Detection Kit(https://www.genscript.com/covid-19-detection-svnt.html). The kit

is the first in the world that enables rapid detection of neutralizing

antibodies (NAbs), the specific antibodies present in the serum of COVID-19

patients that are responsible for clearing the viral infection. Innatoss is the

first medical lab in Europe to provide a service of this kind for the public.

Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200915/2917138-1LOGO

"Our collaboration with GenScript is a crucial step toward offering

high-quality, innovative products to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which poses

a global threat to public health," said Dr. Anja Garritsen, CEO of Innatoss.  

"cPass (TM) uses a novel test method that is capable of detecting the presence

of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies. The test would be useful in

determining the longevity of potential immunity both in individuals and the

broader population, and facilitating development of vaccines and monoclonal

antibody therapy development. It will become the key test to monitor titers

once vaccination has been implemented."

Innatoss recently performed a study in Kessel, a city in the south of the

Netherlands that was severely affected during the first wave of COVID-19, to

determine the longevity of binding antibodies versus neutralizing antibodies in

individuals.  The people were initially tested 2-4 months post infection using

a rapid test for IgG and IgM levels, and then were retested 2-3 months later.  

Afterwards, the patients' samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies using

the GenScript cPass(TM) kit.  In 90 percent of the cases the binding antibody

levels dropped significantly over time while the level of functional antibodies

(neutralizing antibodies) was stable in 70 percent of those tested.

"The cPass (TM) test generates reliable results equivalent to the gold standard

in virology laboratories, the live SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization test,

without the need for a BioSafety level 3 laboratory," said Dr. Linfa Wang, the

inventor of cPass, and Director of the Programme in Emerging Infectious

Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. "This novel test not only shows

people's infection history, but may provide some indication of protection in

the future."

"This collaboration is a significant step forward, as it offers valuable

insights into potential immunity and gives institutions worldwide better access

to a reliable COVID-19 testing approach," said Dr. Patrick Liu, Rotating CEO of

GenScript.

About GenScript Biotech Corporation

GenScript Biotech Corporation is a global leading biotechnology company that

applies its proprietary technology to various fields from basic life sciences

research to translational biomedical development, industrial synthetic

products, and cell therapeutic solutions. With a mission to improve the health

of mankind and nature through biotechnology, the company has developed the

best-in-class capacity and capability for producing biological reagents.

About Innatoss Laboratories

Innatoss is a research-intensive diagnostic laboratory in the Netherlands,

which integrates product development with performance of cutting-edge

diagnostics for individuals and communities. With key expertise in serology and

T cell biology it covers all aspects of the immune response to infectious

diseases. Innatoss focuses on infectious diseases with a complex immunological

background such as Q fever and Lyme Disease. Its mission "Catch it early! And

significantly reduce healthcare issues associated with infectious diseases" was

broadened to COVID-19 in the face of the 2020 epidemic.

SOURCE:  GenScript