Stony Brook's Applied DNA retools COVID test to detect omicron
Director of Forensics and Product Testing Services, Dr. Ila Lansky, uses a robot is at the Stony Brook laboratory of Applied DNA Sciences to process COVID-19 test samples. Credit: John Davis
Applied DNA Sciences Inc. plans to submit data to the state Department of Health for an updated COVID-19 test that can detect the new omicron variant along with previous strains of the virus.
Chairman and chief executive James A. Hayward said in an email that after the company delivers the validation data "in the next few days," it would be able to begin using the new Linea 2.0 test in its Stony Brook laboratory.
"Simply put, viruses mutate, and we've been anticipating the potential for SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] to mutate past our Linea 1.0 assay's ability to detect it," he said of the earlier-generation test.
"Our diagnostic path presumes virus evolution, and our 2.0 assay was already designed and validated for anticipated variants such as omicron."
The updated test is designed to be "variant agnostic," meaning that it would flag a nasal sample with omicron or other strains as positive, but would not be able to specify which variant caused the positive result.
Applied DNA has contracts to conduct COVID-19 testing at Suffolk County Community College, with about 25,000 students, and the City University of New York, with about 275,000 degree students.
The 12-month CUNY contract that began on Aug. 25 could be worth as much as $35 million, depending on the volume of testing.
Hayward said that Applied DNA will be able to use the new Linea 2.0 test at its Stony Brook laboratory to process samples from CUNY and other clients, but would not be able to market the test elsewhere without further validation and approvals.
On Tuesday, shares of Applied DNA declined along with the major indexes, tumbling 4.6% to close at $5.78.
The omicron variant, labeled B.1.1.529 by scientists, has alarmed global leaders and public health officials because its extensive mutations could allow it to spread more easily than previous versions of the virus and evade the protections afforded by vaccines and previous infection.
A clearer picture of the omicron variant is expected to emerge later this month.
Ken Schachter covers corporate news, including technology and aerospace, and other business topics for Newsday. He has also worked at The Miami Herald and The Jerusalem Post.
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