Rapid Multiplex POC Tests for detection of COVID-19

当前的冠状病毒疫情凸显了即时护理（POC）快速筛查工具对于识别和了解COVID-19在人群中的传播的重要性。随着各国努力使疾病曲线趋于平缓，预计未来12至24个月将需要进行数十亿次COVID-19检测。此外，人们普遍认为，下一次大流行将不是“是否”的问题，而是“何时”的问题。为了满足这一迫切需求，我们与蒙特利尔生物技术公司Sensoreal Inc.合作，基于其专有的微流体液体处理技术开发了一种快速多路测试。设想的产品包括可定制的分析仪和一次性微流体盒。这种高度灵活的液体处理平台使现有的实验室程序小型化和自动化，适用于广泛的快速测试试剂盒应用。这一创新将使我们能够利用类似的技术对未来的流行病作出快速反应，从而形成防止流行病失控的全球战略。

The current coronavirus outbreak highlights the importance of point-of-care (POC) rapid screening tools to identify and understand COVID-19 spread within the population. As countries work on flattening the disease curve, it is anticipated that billions of COVID-19 tests will be required for the next 12-24 months. Also, it is widely understood that the next pandemic will not be a matter of "if" but rather a matter of "when". To address this urgent need, we have partnered with Sensoreal Inc., a Montreal-based biotech company, to develop a rapid multiplex test based on their proprietary microfluidic liquid-handling technology. The envisioned product consists of a customizable, analyzer, and disposable microfluidic cartridge. Such a highly flexible liquid handling platform miniaturizes and automates existing laboratory procedures suitable for the broad range of rapid testing kit applications. This innovation will allow fast responses to future epidemics using similar technology to enable a global strategy that prevents an out of control pandemic.