Partnership sees launch of mobile platform for lentivirus testing

Biotechnology company, Takara Bio USA (TBUSA), has teamed up with smartphone diagnostics specialists, Novarum, to develop an integrated, mobile platform which detects and quantifies recombinant lentivirus in packaging cell supernatants.

Through this partnership, TBUSA has launched a new app, Lento-X GoStix, which is to be used in conjunction with the lateral flow test, Lenti-X GoStix Plus. The GoStix cassette detects the presence of lentiviral p24 protein, and titer is quantified using a smartphone camera.

Tests for measuring lentivirus titer are usually complicated and convoluted, potentially taking hours or days to get a single quantitative result. With the new rapid test using the smartphone app, it should be possible to achieve results in 10 minutes.

The Lenti-X GoStix Plus app provides step-by-step instructions, including alarm and timer features, to ensure tests are performed correctly. Up to four tests can be run simultaneously, using a single 10-minute timer, and the results are scanned sequentially. QR codes, labelled on the GoStix foil pouches, can also be scanned to identify lot numbers for facilitating batch calibration and quantification.

Baz Smith, associate director, Gene Function Marketing at TBUSA, said: “Takara Bio is committed to doing good science that supports biotechnology research around the world. Working with Novarum, our pioneering Lenti-X GoStix Plus app has been successfully launched on both GooglePlay and the AppStore, for Android and Apple devices, respectively. We’re proud of the positive feedback and the app store ratings we’ve already received from early adopters of our ground-breaking technology.”

“Our team has worked alongside Takara Bio to create a lateral flow reader and mobile app which enhances lentivirus testing,” added Dr Neil Polwart, founder of Novarum and BBI Group head of Mobile. “It’s incredibly exciting to witness how our next-generation technology is challenging the accepted norms with improved efficiency and innovation.”