Omega Diagnostics Group has announced the launch of a ground-breaking new point-of-care disposable test for the detection of HIV.
VISITECT CD4 detects CD4 T-cell levels and was developed by the Burnet Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
An easy-to-use semi-quantitative lateral flow test, it uses a finger-prick blood sample to produce a visual result in 40 minutes, enabling patients to receive life-saving antiretroviral treatment before leaving the clinic.
Minimal training is required and no additional instruments are necessary, eliminating the need for sophisticated equipment, expensive reagents and highly-trained personnel.
Andrew Shepherd, founder and chief executive of Omega Diagnostics, said: “This test overcomes many of the limitations commonly associated with the traditional technique of flow cytometry, offering a cost-effective means of obtaining immediate CD4 results. Establishing when a patient should commence therapy will improve health and help to reduce transmission of the virus, benefiting the entire population.”
