SWITZERLAND – Roche has launched a new dual antigen and antibody diagnostic test for hepatitis C, which the Swiss pharmaceuticals company says will give an earlier diagnosis of the virus.
The Elecsys HCV Duo is the first commercially available immunoassay that allows the simultaneous and independent determination of the hepatitis C virus status from a single human plasma or serum sample.
It enables early diagnosis of active HCV infection and helps prevent transmission of the virus to the tissue, blood components, blood, cells or organs of the patient.
It also helps individuals get appropriate treatment sooner, stopping disease progression and transmission while reducing unnecessary healthcare costs.
The company stated that the dual detection of HCV Ag and anti-HCV enables earlier diagnosis of active HCV infection compared to antibody-only assays.
It noted that the HCV Ag appears earlier in the course of infection and is an indicator of ongoing viral replication.
The Elecsys HCV Duo is the first commercially available immunoassay that allows the simultaneous and independent determination of the hepatitis C virus status from a single human plasma or serum sample.
Roche Diagnostics CEO Thomas Schinecker said: “With improved hepatitis screening, healthcare systems have the opportunity to eliminate the disease through improved prevention, testing and treatment services.
“The addition of the Elecsys HCV Duo assay to our HCV testing portfolio can help in the fight to eliminate the hepatitis C virus.
“The launch of this innovative dual antigen and antibody diagnostic test underlines our commitment to support clinicians and their patients in reducing the impact of infectious diseases, where it’s needed most.”
According to the World Health Organization, 1.5 million people were newly infected with HCV in 2019 while approximately 58 million people across the world were living with chronic HCV infection, although only 21% were aware of it.
The disease can lead to death from conditions including cirrhosis and liver failure.
HPV self-sampling solution
Last month, Roche introduced a human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling solution in countries accepting the CE mark to extend screening options for cervical cancer.
This new solution enables a patient to privately collect her sample for HPV screening while at a healthcare facility, following instructions provided by a healthcare worker.
The clinically-validated vaginal sample is analyzed with the Roche cobas HPV test on a Roche molecular instrument.
Screening for human papillomavirus (HPV) can help identify women who are at risk of developing cervical cancer, so that the disease can be found and treated early before it has a chance to develop.
There are many drivers that contribute to women not participating in cervical cancer screening programs, including limited access to testing, past experiences, embarrassment and cultural influences.
Roche’s self-sampling solution helps reduce barriers preventing women from participating in cancer screening programs by offering women an alternative to more invasive clinician collection procedures, while also providing accurate and reliable results enabling clinicians to make patient care decisions.
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