Bio-Rad Laboratories, a supplier of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, has announced the launch of the Bio-Plex Pro Human IgA and IgM SARS-CoV-2 panels to detect IgA and IgM antibodies against four SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The panels are available for research use only (RUO).
The Bio-Plex Pro Human IgA and IgM SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2/N/RBD 4-plex panels join the company’s IgG 4-plex panel to complete the set of three separate qualitative multiplex immunoassays, providing efficient detection of IgA, IgG, and IgM antibodies against four SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The panels assist researchers in developing vaccines and help public health researchers who perform seroprevalence studies based on serology specimens to identify individuals who may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. These individuals may have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 and could have experienced only mild symptoms, or they could be asymptomatic, the company says.
“The multiplex immunoassay panels help vaccine developers determine therapeutic efficacy, from development through clinical phases and then later on in postmarket surveillance studies,” said Candice Cox, Bio-Rad Immunoassays Marketing Manager, Life Science Group. “Detecting levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in an individual provides valuable information about possible exposure rates in a population or about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing the spread of this disease.”