NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Molecular diagnostics company Altona said on Thursday it has received CE marking for a workflow to detect infectious diseases.
The workflow called the AltoStar Molecular Diagnostic Workflow, includes the AltoStar Automation System AM16 pipetting workstation and the firm's AltoStar Connect Software, and enables real-time PCR infectious disease testing with nucleic acid purification, assay setup, and automated cycler programming for amplification and detection.
The system automates the pathogen detection workflow from sample prep to analysis, the firm said in a statement, noting that features such as tracking of sample information, import of worklists, barcoded reagents for full process control, and ready-to-use reagents assure process reliability and increased convenience.
The workflow was launched along with a menu of infectious disease detection kits, including assays for cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, BK virus, and parvovirus. Altona plans additional assays for the workflow this year, such as tests for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, human herpes virus-6, and adenovirus.
Historically, Altona has been among the first assay manufacturers to make molecular diagnostic kits commercially available during outbreak situations, including tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Ebolavirus, and Zika virus.