NEW YORK – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tasked Alveo Technologies with developing a molecular assay to detect and differentiate the H5 subtype of avian influenza A as well as seasonal influenza A and B viruses in human samples. The assay will support enhanced preparedness for potential human-to-human transmission of avian flu.
Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.
Under the competitive agreement, Alveo will develop a rapid, multiplexed, point-of-need isothermal molecular test to detect and distinguish the H5 subtype and seasonal influenza viruses. The test will use Alveo's IntelliSense technology, which relies on direct electrical sensing of nucleic acid amplification.
"We are proud to work with CDC to be a part of a national preparedness effort by enabling timely detection and response where it matters most – at the front lines of care," said Shaun Holt, CEO at Alveo.
The CDC has previously said that only CDC and US state and jurisdictional public health labs have access to CDC's molecular test to detect the H5 strain of influenza A, which could lead to delays in diagnosis or treatment in the event of human-to-human transmission.
"By decentralizing testing capabilities, Alveo will increase access to critical diagnostics, reduce the burden on centralized laboratories, and bolster pandemic preparedness and response efforts," the firm said in a statement.
Alveo said it will begin shipping a molecular test for all relevant subtypes of avian influenza (Type A, subtypes H5, H7, H9) in poultry, adding that the CDC agreement and development goals support a natural expansion of its product line.
The CDC also recently awarded an H5 subtype assay development contract to Quest Diagnostics.
The bird flu H5 subtype of the influenza A virus has been detected in wild birds, cattle, poultry, and wastewater, with isolated human cases likely involving transmission from livestock. The recent detection of the H5 subtype in swine in Oregon has elevated concerns for an outbreak. Cross-species spread of influenza viruses between people and pigs could lead to new viruses that could gain the ability to spread easily between people and cause a pandemic, according to the CDC.