A new test system for the diagnosis of COVID-19 was created in the laboratory of monoclonal antibodies of the RTU MIREA Department of Biotechnology and Industrial Pharmacy

On April 30, 2020 the joint work on the creation of a new test system for the diagnosis of COVID-19 was successfully completed in the recently opened laboratory of monoclonal antibodies at the RTU MIREA Department of Biotechnology and Industrial Pharmacy.

One of the reasons for the rapid spread of the new coronavirus is, according to the experts, the difficulty of diagnosing the presence of the virus in the body. For that matter, there is an urgent need to identify infected people, including those with asymptomatic or mild form of the disease. As a result of cooperation of the scientists of the Research Medical Center of Hematology of the Ministry of Health of Russia and the Institute of Molecular Biology named after V.A. Engelhardt of the Russian Academy of Sciences a new testing system based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to determine the titer of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulins of class G, demonstrating acquired immunity.

Thanks to the assistance of the management of the Scientific Research Center for Hematology of the RF Ministry of Health and RTU MIREA, the expert and technical support of Cytiva specialists and the coordinated work of technologists in the monoclonal antibody laboratory, the required amount of recombinant viral antigens was developed within the shortest time possible.

It is noteworthy that this test set was one of the first of its kind in Russia that was successfully registered at Roszdravnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare).

Thanks to the participation in this work, RTU MIREA employees who continue their work and ensure the operation of the University services will soon be among the first to be tested for immunity with the use of the new test system.

This joint work demonstrated that under the current difficult conditions of the coronavirus pandemic, the organization of operational interaction and comprehensive cooperation between public and private institutions is extremely important.