Avacta Group confirms rapid antigen test detects new Covid strains

Avacta Group PLC (LON:AVTG), the UK-listed diagnostics company, has announced that its AffiDX rapid antigen lateral flow test detects the B117 variant of the coronavirus (the “Kent” variant), the D614G variant, and the original strain.
New Strains
There had been fears that some of the newly discovered mutations of the coronavirus may be resistant to the technology currently used to detect Covid-19 in individuals, which could strain government efforts to rapid test people in certain situations.

Avacta said analytical tests have been carried out with the spike proteins isolated from both the B117 and D614G variants and has confirmed that its test detects both of these variants and the original strain.

The news will be welcomed as the B117 variant becomes more prevalent, not just in the UK, but across the globe. B117 has reportedly been identified in over 50 countries and according to Cambridge University Professor of Public Health and Microbiology, the strain is likely to become the next dominant strain globally.

“We are pleased to confirm that Avacta’s rapid antigen test detects the B117 strain, an important variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and one which is especially prevalent in the UK,” said Avacta Group CEO Dr Alastair Smith.

“Our next key milestone is full clinical validation and CE marking of our lateral flow antigen test which we anticipate will be around the end of this quarter and I look forward to updating the market when that milestone is achieved.”

At 09:15GMT Avacta Group shares were trading higher by 6.8% at 212.45p per share.