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– Unlike current approaches (using blood, saliva or a nasopharyngeal swab), the new test will identify particles of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a person’s exhaled air.
Courtesy IMEC: The solution promises the accurate identification of a contagious SARS-CoV-2 case in less than five minutes. This will make testing faster, easier, more comfortable and on a larger scale – an essential requirement for controlling epidemics much earlier, while limiting their economic and social impact.
Imec is joining UZ Leuven University Hospital for the clinical validation of the solution. In the summer of 2021, Imec plans to test a functional prototype at Brussels airport.
This year, it has become quite clear that viruses are capable of striking hard and turning people’s lives upside down. To minimize the effects of epidemics and pandemics on our health, society and the economy, governments and experts need to be able to assess quickly and accurately how a virus is spreading.
Today’s SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tools, however, have some limitations.
The most sensitive and reliable tool today is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which aims to detect the genetic material of the virus in a nasopharyngeal sample.
The disadvantage of this tool is that trained medical staff must collect the swab, and the process is described by many as highly uncomfortable. In addition, the test comes with a processing time (in a clinical laboratory) of about two days.
Another alternative, rapid antigen testing, is less reliable due to its complexity. Finally, the serological test (which uses a blood sample) is faster and cheaper than a PCR test, but it only detects whether someone has developed antibodies after the person has come into contact with the virus.
“While each of these tests can provide clues about a current or past infection, none of them can determine the extent to which someone can still transmit the virus to others.
“So, we started to develop a test that indicates, in less than five minutes, if someone has the SARS-CoV-2 virus and if they are highly likely to be contagious.”
“To achieve this, our solution looks for SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in a person’s exhaled breath, because research shows that respiration particles are the main method of transmitting the virus,” says Peter Peumans., CTO of Imec Health Technologies.
“As long as they have positive results in our clinical studies, our tool will make SARS-CoV-2 testing easier, faster, more comfortable and possible on a much larger scale. In addition, we are designing our test to handle flexibly with the increase in other viruses and germs that spread through exhaled particles – such as influenza, RSV and tuberculosis. “
Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, confirms this: “It is now clear that the virus is transmitted pre-symptomatically through exhaled particles. The SARS-CoV-2 test using a respiratory sample together with an ultra-fast molecular analysis would be a game changer, as it would allow the timely detection of individuals most likely to transmit the virus. Since a breath sample is much less invasive compared to swabs or saliva, it would also allow for more frequent testing and a faster return to normal. “
Imec’s solution consists of a sample collector and an analysis unit, both developed to measure by Imec researchers. Researchers are focusing much of their attention on the sample collector, which will act as the aerosol collector (and virus particles) and will support the solution’s high-speed, real-time quantitative (RT-q) functionality.
“Merging these tasks using conventional technologies would be extremely difficult to do. But, thanks to our capacity for innovation when it comes to the use of silicon, we have developed a chip that effectively does both.
Its silicon microscale PCR cavities are responsible for thousands of impactors, which allows us to capture viral particles, while its powerful RT-qPCR functionality reduces the duration of the PCR effort from 50 to 5 minutes.
It is also important to note that the standard silicon technology used to build this chip facilitates mass production at a low cost, ”explains Peumans.
“Thanks to a donation of 2 million euros provided by the Flemish government, we started in the best way,” said Luc Van den Hove, CEO of Imec. “After all, how quickly we will be able to bring this test to market will largely depend on adequate financial support.
In anticipation of other investors joining this effort, Imec decided to pre-invest the necessary resources as part of our contribution to the global fight against COVID-19. “
“We are happy for associating with Imec for this new and exciting development ”, said Professor Katrien Lagrou, head of the molecular diagnostic laboratory at UZ Leuven.
“Not only will we provide extensive clinical support to validate the test, but we will also support development using the PCR diagnostic know-how we have built at UZ Leuven for more than 20 years.”
The new test can be used very widely. “In addition, for a first screening of SARS-CoV-2 of potentially contagious patients or medical staff in hospitals, this rapid test using exhaled breath will be very valuable”, confirms Prof. Lagrou.
Following the development of the underlying technology, specialists from UZ Leuven University Hospital will join Imec to carry out an extensive clinical study.
In the summer of 2021, the researchers plan to test a functional prototype at Brussels Airport to ensure that the final solution meets all the requirements necessary to allow people to travel and meet again in safety and comfort.
“At Brussels Airport, we are convinced that the tests are and will be a key element in the recovery of the aviation sector,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of the Brussels Airport Company. “Creating a safe environment for our passengers is our top priority and, in this context, it is essential for us to have rapid and reliable tests”.
About Imec
Imec is a world-leading research and innovation center in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. The combination of leadership in microchip technology and deep experience in software and ICT, makes the institution unique.
The world-class infrastructure and local and global ecosystem of partners in a multitude of industries, creates revolutionary innovations in fields of application such as health, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, energy and education.
As a trusted partner for companies, start-ups and universities, it brings together more than 4,000 brilliant minds from nearly 100 nationalities.
Imec is based in Leuven, Belgium, and has distributed R&D groups to several Flemish universities in the Netherlands, Taiwan, USA and offices in China, India and Japan.
More information about Imec can be found at www.imec-int.com.
Source: IMEC
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