Hyper-Transmissible SARS-CoV-2 Variant Detected in United States Wastewater

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GT Molecular, a leader in wastewater-based epidemiological testing, has reported the detection of hyper-transmissible SARS-CoV-2 from the B.1.1.7 lineage in three wastewater treatment plants in the United States. This is an additional piece of evidence that the UK variant or a UK variant-like strain is spreading in the United States. GT Molecular detected the strain using its highly sensitive digital PCR test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This test is available immediately both as a fee-for-service and as a complete, ready-to-use PCR kit for testing labs.

"Molecular biologists from around the world have come together to advance wastewater-based epidemiological approaches over the last year. This is an excellent demonstration of the power of these approaches, wherein an entire community can be tested for the presence of a variant in a single sample in a matter of hours," says, Dr. Rose Nash, Director of R&D at GT Molecular.

GT Molecular will continue to screen communities around the country for the presence of this variant in their community wastewater through their nationwide wastewater testing program. Additionally, GT Molecular will provide the molecular reagents they designed and optimized for this analysis to the greater wastewater-based epidemiology community.

"Our team continues to respond rapidly to this pandemic by releasing both a fee-for-service test for communities and an all-in-one PCR kit for testing labs for this dangerous variant," says GT Molecular CEO Christopher McKee. "Our new analysis will allow communities and testing labs to quickly determine whether the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant is present while giving health officials timely data to make decisions that can better help manage outbreaks."

About GT Molecular

Whether for cancer, GMO or harmful pathogens, GT Molecular (GTM) is a leader in providing highly customizable, ultrasensitive digital PCR and qPCR tests for researchers and the Molecular Diagnostics community. GTM's molecular app technology is an easy-to-use, end-to-end solution for rapid deployment and provides reliable and consistent measurements while detecting as little as 1-3 molecules of target nucleic acid.

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