INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
SF-based CRISPR diagnostics startup Mammoth Biosciences has published the first peer-reviewed study that shows validation of using its
testing method to detect the presence of COVID-19 in patients
The study, published in Nature, shows performance on par with existing PCR-based molecular tests, the ones currently authorized for use by
few different ways, including in its reconfigurability to address new viruses, as it uses CRISPR to target specific genetic sequences and
Basically, in the same way CRISPR allows scientists to target a specific string of DNA for removal or alteration, with scalpel-like
is present in the patient.The test that Mammoth is developing showed validated use in less than two weeks, the researchers claim, since
their platform is designed from the ground up for rapid reconfigurability to address new viral threats
essentially the same kind of read-out you see with at-home pregnancy tests, making them relatively easy to interpret
commonly available standard reagents.In the study, which included samples from 36 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections, and 42
patients who had other types of viral respiratory infections, the tests showed 95% positive diagnostic accuracy, and 100% negative efficacy
larger-scale studies back up the data.
