VICARE RAPID: As safe as a PCR test and as inexpensive as a rapid antigen test
A reasonable strategy in the fight against the corona pandemic includes not only vaccinations, but also reliable tests. Scientists demand: Only on the basis of frequent testing the infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be avoided and chains of infection would be interrupted at an early stage.
VICARE SOLUTION GmbH, based in Essen Germany, has developed a biomolecular SARS-CoV-2 detection kit (VICARE RAPID RNA detection of the N / ORF1 gene of SARS-CoV-2) in cooperation with internationally renowned universities and thus closed an urgent gap in the testing. The crucial point is that sick people must be recognized as early as possible. And the Vicare Rapid test does this. Like a classic PCR test, it recognizes a sick persons shortly after they have been infected and thus long before an antigen test or the first corona symptoms appear. This is the only way to ensure that the virus will not be transmitted and that chains of infection are interrupted on an early and targeted manner. Vicare Rapid can currently reliably detect all known mutations (as of April 30, 2021).
RT-LAMP – the next generation of tests is available
VICARE RAPID is a test procedure that uses the RT-LAMP technology. RT-LAMP stands for Reverse Transcriptase Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification. This is a highly sensitive method that directly detects the pathogen – like a PCR test – and has a high level of accuracy. However, in contrast to the PCR test (known as the gold standard), no complex laboratory equipment and no waiting hours or days are required to evaluate a sample. A reliable test result is available within 30 minutes. According to the German Corona protection regulation, VICARE RAPID is suitable, due to the RNA detection, to validate positive antigen tests (analogous to PCR) or to be used as a direct alternative for PCR tests.
RT-LAMP test, PCR test and rapid antigen test in comparison:
Easy to use, reliable in diagnostics
VICARE SOLUTION GmbH has optimized the pathogen detection method in such a way that the test procedure can also be used easily, safely and reliably with laypersons (after a training has taken place):
- In the first step, the samples are taken with a simple gargle / spit sample or the classic nose / throat swab or a lollipop stick.
- In the next step, a part of the sample (which may contain the virus genetic material) is taken with a pipette and sterilized by heating it up before the testing. From this point on, the risk of infection is eliminated for the following test procedure.
- The inactivated sample is then pipetted again into the Vicare Rapid Reaction Mix and heated again at constant temperature for approx. 20 minutes.
- After that the evaluation takes place. In the case of illness with SARS-CoV-2, the sample changes its color, so that ir can be easily recognized; Depending on whether the test is carried out and read out in a machine or carried out manually by a laboratory worker and read with the naked eye, the fluorometric (Vicare Rapid FL) or the colorimetric, visible to the human eye, Vicare Rapid is used.
In addition to testing individual persons, the VICARE RAPID also enables groups to be tested. In so-called pooling tests with up to 10 people in one test kit. With this resource-saving option, up to 1,900 samples per hour can be evaluated; which means that test capacities can be scaled as required by simply multiplying staff and equipment. Pooling tests are a good and inexpensive alternative wherever many people need / want to come together in a small space and for whom a reliable result should be generated as quickly as possible (such as in companies, schools, aircraft and the event industry).
VICARE RAPID – another component in SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics
While classic PCR tests and rapid antigen tests are used in Germany, other countries in Europe have installed RT-LAMP tests as a third mainstay of the pandemic fight. The advantages are clear: Regularly carried out proactive PCR & LAMP tests allow corona infections to be detected in people who have no or no clear symptoms yet.
The unique VICARE RAPID test procedure is as safe as a PCR test with a very high reliability of 98% accuracy, but at the same time as simple, quick and inexpensive as a rapid antigen test in terms of diagnostics. The price is slightly above that of antigen test, but far below that of a PCR laboratory test.
VICARE RAPID – produced in Germany and developed in Europe – is CE certified and a medical product approved and listed by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). It meets the requirements of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) for tests in the national test strategy (TestV). A WHO emergency approval (EUL, emergencyuselisting) has been applied for and is being processed there.
The VICARE RAPID rapid test developed by VICARE SOLUTION will make a significant contribution to ensuring that Europe returns to a (new) normal life.
Contact for the press:
Dr. Oliver Emmert, CEO, +49 (172) 3180757, oliver.emmert@vicare-solution.de
Arnd Jakubeit, Marketing & Sales, +49 (178) 7908 109, arnd.jakubeit@vicare-solution.de
VICARE SOULOTION GmbH
Hutropstrasse 60
45138 Essen, Germany