Roche brings to market a new Covid test to detect the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant, renamed ‘Kraken’, which is now prevalent in the United States and is also rapidly spreading to other countries due to its super transmissibility. The Swiss multinational developed the product with German partner company Tib Molbiol.
Differentiating the different emerging variants of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus, understanding their similarities and mutations, allows experts to anticipate its spread and respond with appropriate therapeutic strategies, explains the Basel giant in a note. “Roche continues to develop timely diagnostic innovations related to Covid-19, providing valuable insights to help scientists and clinicians understand the new strain, how it differs from other variants, and the impact it may have on public health,” said Matt Sause, CEO of the diagnostic division of the Rhine group. The Kraken-reveal test, named VirSNiP Sars-CoV-2 Spike F486P, is compatible with the Lightcycler 480 II and Cobas z 480 diagnostic systems.
