Seegene Inc, a South Korean biotechnology firm,  announced the launch of a SARS-CoV-2 variant diagnostic test capable of detecting new virus variants including the Delta and the Delta Plus that have become the dominant virus around the world.

The Allplex? SARS-CoV-2 Variants II Assay is receiving much attention as the assay can screen both Delta and the Delta Plus variants and other COVID-19 variants. In a single reaction, the variants diagnostic kit identifies a total of six COVID-19 variants that are known to be originated from India such as Delta, Delta Plus, and Kappa, and Gamma, Beta, and Epsilon. While the number of daily new infections is growing exponentially, the launch of the new assay is expected to play an essential role in monitoring the spread of the Delta and Delta Plus variants that have been largely blamed for the bulk of new infections.

Seegene also said that it has successfully developed a research-use-only diagnostic test, Allplex? SARS-CoV-2/P681R Assay, to precisely target the Delta and Delta Plus variants. According to the company, the conjunction use of the two assays will allow researchers to accurately distinguish the Delta and Delta Plus variants from other genetic mutations.

According to Seegene, the combination use of its two assays including 'Allplex? SARS-CoV-2 Variants II Assay' and the 'Allplex? SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay' can screen almost all existing COVID-19 variants. As the two assays can detect multiple variants in a single test, it also streamlines the conventional testing process in which it requires a secondary test to identify new variants. In such context, Seegene's variant detection kit is expected to become a new 'gold standard,' helping to prevent new pandemics from occurring.