- Provides Ct value for three targets in a channel, the “3 Ct” PCR test is launched under H1
- “Dream MDx technology” developed based on Seegene’s 20-year expertise, combines 19 different patented technologies, including DPO TO, TOCE ™ and MuDT ™
- “3 Ct” will lay the foundation for automated syndrome testing and make MDx more accessible
Seegene Inc., South Korea’s leading molecular diagnostics (MDx) company, today announced the development of the world’s first commercialized PCR test using “3 Ct” technology. “Allplex ™ HPV HR Detection” was presented at the 2022 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) held on 23-26 April in Lisbon, Portugal.
In a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the threshold value (Ct) of the cycle is used to quantify the concentration of a viral DNA sequence (target). Due to technical limitations, conventional PCR technology finds the Ct value of a target in a channel in real time.
But Seegene’s “3 Ct” technology can provide the Ct value of three targets in a channel without compromising on sensitivity and specificity. The successful development is based on Seegene’s 20-year expertise and combines 19 different patented technologies, including DPO ™, TOCE ™ and MuDT ™. By using five channels in a single tube, Seegene can provide quantitative data for a total of 15 targets. “3 Ct” has been named “dream MDx technology”.
The company plans to apply “3 Ct” technology to its entire product range, including respiratory virus (RV), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gastrointestinal infections (GIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Seegene expects the “3 Ct” technology to take syndrome testing to a new level. By detecting the causative pathogen, the level of infection and possible co-infection, one can determine how the treatment should be prioritized and improve patient management. The “3 Ct” technology also increases the test capacity. Such features are expected to improve service and cost structure in the medical sector when the “3 Ct” technology is widely used.
Seegene’s first product with “3 Ct” technology, Allplex ™ HPV HR detection, is designed to detect 14 high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause cervical cancer (see Figure 1). It also gives the individual Ct value for each type, which enables quantitative analysis of the level of infection. Early detection of HPV helps prevent and treat cervical cancer. HPV products from other industry players provide individual Ct values for two high-risk types, HPV 16 and 18.
Allplex ™ HPV HR detection, which is planned to be launched in the first half of this year, will have a significant cost advantage compared to existing HPV products to increase the availability of PCR testing, which has previously been difficult due to high costs. The product will also be compatible with Seegene’s fully automated AIOS (all-in-one system). The company plans to launch the industry’s first “fully automated, mass-based, syndromic testing system” to lay the groundwork for testing anywhere, including large hospitals, C-labs and even small and medium-sized clinics, and make PCR testing a part of everyday life .
“HPV genotyping is important for a good follow-up of a patient to observe the onset, duration or elimination of each genotype”, “Seegene is a company that is very involved in the development of molecular diagnostic tests to detect various pathogens. For certain clinical situations, such as respiratory infections, syndromic tests are very useful.”
HPV expert Sebastien Hantz , a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Limoges in France
