Seegene, a South Korea based biotechnology company specializing in molecular diagnostics, has finished the development of the world's first-ever variant diagnostic test that can simultaneously detect COVID-19 and screen multiple virus variants, with a single multiplex real-time PCR testing.

The 'Allplex™ SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can detect both coronavirus and its variants in the initial round of testing. It's an ideal way of screening coronavirus genes, as the pandemic continues after being coupled with more contagious variants that have spread to at least 70 countries.

The new COVID-19 test detects a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants notably spotted in the most recognized lineages. Those variants include B.1.1.7 (U.K. lineage of concern, associated with the N501Y mutation), B.1.351 (South African lineage defined by 501Y.V2), P.1 (Brazilian lineage with variants of biological significance E484K, N501Y and K417T), B.1.1.207 (U.S. lineage). Detecting four coronavirus genes in a single tube of assays can only be realized by Seegene and its unique technology, one that is extremely vital when distinguishing the virus that keeps on evolving at a fast rate.

Seegene's technology can precisely detect various types of mutant variants including those of point mutation and deletion of amino acids.

Additionally, Seegene's 'Allplex™ SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay' can pre-screen suspicious new variants that are believed to carry composition of the already discovered mutations. Recently multiple COVID-19 mutations have been reported to overlap, like the N501Y mutation, now being spotted in multiple lineages, after having been reported in the U.K. and South African variants.