Thermo Fisher Scientific launches panel to monitor for COVID-19 mutations

Panel designed to provide surveillance of ongoing mutations of virus that causes COVID-19

12 Mar 2021
Diane Li
Assistant Editor

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a world leader in serving science, has announced the launch of its Applied Biosystems TaqMan SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel, a customizable menu of 22 verified real-time PCR assays for identification of SARS-CoV-2 mutations. These assays enable surveillance of variants that are causing COVID-19 infections in specific regions globally and allow laboratories to choose which mutations to track.

SARS-CoV-2 has mutated countless times, with some variants potentially impacting efficacy of treatments and vaccines, stressing the importance of continued surveillance of viral changes. The TaqMan SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel is designed to be highly scalable, being able to run a few or hundreds of samples to identify one or many mutations. This provides laboratories with the ability to meet various levels of testing need with real-time PCR instruments they already use.

"With an evolving virus, having up to date, reliable and accurate information is critical in fighting back," said Mark Smedley, president of the genetic sciences business of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "With this panel, we're empowering researchers and clinicians by putting another tool in their hands to monitor changes in the virus so they can make informed and effective decisions for overall public health."

The TaqMan SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel provides results in about an hour and is based on gold standard TaqMan SNP genotyping assay technology, which can help to detect and distinguish mutations efficiently.

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For research use. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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