Innatoss Laboratories Launches Neutralizing Antibody Public Testing Service for SARS-CoV-2 in Europe using GenScript's cPass™ kit

cPass is first commercially available product to rapidly detect neutralizing antibodies capable of eliminating virus

LEIDEN, Netherlands and OSS, Netherlands and PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Innatoss Laboratories announced today the first neutralizing antibody testing service against SARS-CoV-2 for the public in Europe, using GenScript's cPass ™ SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit. The kit is the first in the world that enables rapid detection of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), the specific antibodies present in the serum of COVID-19 patients that are responsible for clearing the viral infection. Innatoss is the first medical lab in Europe to provide a service of this kind for the public.

"Our collaboration with GenScript is a crucial step toward offering high-quality, innovative products to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which poses a global threat to public health," said Dr. Anja Garritsen, CEO of Innatoss.  "cPass ™ uses a novel test method that is capable of detecting the presence of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies. The test would be useful in determining the longevity of potential immunity both in individuals and the broader population, and facilitating development of vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapy development. It will become the key test to monitor titers once vaccination has been implemented."

Innatoss recently performed a study in Kessel, a city in the south of the Netherlands that was severely affected during the first wave of COVID-19, to determine the longevity of binding antibodies versus neutralizing antibodies in individuals.  The people were initially tested 2-4 months post infection using a rapid test for IgG and IgM levels, and then were retested 2-3 months later.  Afterwards, the patients' samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies using the GenScript cPass™ kit.  In 90 percent of the cases the binding antibody levels dropped significantly over time while the level of functional antibodies (neutralizing antibodies) was stable in 70 percent of those tested.

"The cPass ™ test generates reliable results equivalent to the gold standard in virology laboratories, the live SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization test, without the need for a BioSafety level 3 laboratory," said Dr. Linfa Wang, the inventor of cPass, and Director of the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. "This novel test not only shows people's infection history, but may provide some indication of protection in the future."

"This collaboration is a significant step forward, as it offers valuable insights into potential immunity and gives institutions worldwide better access to a reliable COVID-19 testing approach," said Dr. Patrick Liu, Rotating CEO of GenScript.

About GenScript Biotech Corporation

GenScript Biotech Corporation is a global leading biotechnology company that applies its proprietary technology to various fields from basic life sciences research to translational biomedical development, industrial synthetic products, and cell therapeutic solutions. With a mission to improve the health of mankind and nature through biotechnology, the company has developed the best-in-class capacity and capability for producing biological reagents.

About Innatoss Laboratories

Innatoss is a research-intensive diagnostic laboratory in the Netherlands, which integrates product development with performance of cutting-edge diagnostics for individuals and communities. With key expertise in serology and T cell biology it covers all aspects of the immune response to infectious diseases. Innatoss focuses on infectious diseases with a complex immunological background such as Q fever and Lyme Disease. Its mission "Catch it early! And significantly reduce healthcare issues associated with infectious diseases" was broadened to COVID-19 in the face of the 2020 epidemic.

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