Singapore-based biotech firm JN Medsys has developed a new PCR kit that detects for SARS-CoV-2 and identifies if the Omicron variant is present. It can be used on upper respiratory samples and the results can be available in just 1 hour.

Most commercial PCR kits remain effective in detecting Omicron but are unable to distinguish this variant from the rest. To confirm if a positive case has been infected by Omicron, next generation sequencing (NGS) is necessary which requires between 24 to 96 hours to generate results.

The new kit from JN Medsys, named ProTect™ Omivar RT-qPCR Kit, is highly specific for the Omicron variant, covering > 99% of all Omicron strains, making it highly accurate for detecting the variant. Using PCR as a confirmatory tool for Omicron variant detection is faster and cheaper, and can be used as an alternative to NGS, making it attractive for resource-limited regions where NGS is not readily accessible. 

JN Medsys is also partnering local laboratories to offer the new kit as a confirmatory test for Omicron detection.