One step toward alleviating critical RNA extraction bottlenecks
The pandemic has resulted in a world-wide shortage of viral RNA extraction kits. Until COVID-19 tests that don’t require RNA extraction are developed and become widely available, we need to alleviate the bottleneck. To help fill this shortage, we teamed up with Beckman Coulter labs to test and validate a new, high-throughput viral RNA extraction solution to increase availability of kits for critical research.
The Beckman Coulter RNAdvance Viral XP Extraction Kit is iRepertoire-validated for use in high-throughput research workflows for RNA extraction from swab samples for use in qRT-PCR.
Key highlights of RNAdvance Viral XP RNA Extraction Kit
- Isolate viral RNA from nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs.
- Magnetic bead technology makes this kit ideal for both manual and automated workflows. Reduce overall hands-on time and increase testing throughput with faster extraction. Using manual extraction, up to 48 samples per run can be processed to extract RNA in 45 mins with hands on time of 25 mins. Automation further accelerates this.
- Extracted RNA is ready for qRT-PCR
- Protocol enables isolation to be performed in both 96–well plate and single tube formats
- iRepertoire performed analytical performance assays and specimen assays to demonstrate that the RNAdvance Viral XP extraction kit has a limit of detection of RNA (LoD) of 1 copy of RNA per µL of sample
“We performed more than 100 RNA extractions and more than 500 qPCR reactions during a three-day period to validate RNAdvance Viral XP. The results clearly demonstrate this new solution from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences is a viable alternative to help alleviate a critical shortage in the RNA extraction kit supply chain.
Doing our part to support customers during a time of increased need is a priority for me and all Beckman Coulter Life Sciences associates as we build a robust supply chain, scale production and increase field support capabilities. We’re all in this together, and I’m confident our technology will expand the availability of extraction solutions for research laboratories around the world.”
Miranda Byrne-Steele, PhD, Director of Operations and R&D, iRepertoire
Beckman Coulter COVID-19 Research Symposium Webinar
Learn more about our efforts to alleviate bottlenecks and research antibody-based COVID-19 therapies in this Beckman Coulter COVID-19 Research Symposium Presentation.
