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From Sona website
"When completed, Sona’s Covid-19 test is expected to produce results in 5-15 minutes and is anticipated to cost less than $50. It will not require any additional laboratory-based equipment and can be administered by a layperson at the point of care."
Think one key difference is that AVCT's test will not require a healthcare professional to take the sample / be present to supervise sample taking.
This is where any of the nasopharyngeal tests partially fall down as from what I understand, they are highly unpleasant and need someone to basically stick the swab further down your nose/throat than you would ever do yourself.
Roll up the AVCT test where you provide a saliva sample in some form - hard to get that wrong which reduces the risk of 1. A poorly taken swab 2. someone not buying the test because it requires an unpleasant process to do so.
Sona getting to this stage are promising signs for the concept but to a mass market our product will no doubt be superior (so long as it has the top notch S&S)
Good info shared today thanks everyone makes for pleasant reading !
With regard to Sona great to see market reaction to their news . Think AVCT lateral flow test will be better as will use siliva /affimers & be quicker result , accepted still need to see final product but AVCT sound very confident .
Sona details
"Validation studies were also conducted in-house to assess potential clinical performance of the test using 30 nasopharyngeal samples from healthy individuals who were presumed negative for COVID-19. Results from the study generated a specificity of 96% (29/30) and a sensitivity of 96% (28/29). All specimen samples tested generated negative results, except for one, generating the above result of 96%. To generate the sensitivity data, the remnants of each negative sample were spiked with gamma irradiated COVID-19 virus and the tests rerun to determine the positive results, generating the above result of 96%.
"nasopharyngeal samples The following are acceptable specimens:
A nasopharyngeal (NP) specimen collected by a healthcare provider; or
An oropharyngeal (OP) specimen collected by a healthcare provider; or
A nasal mid-turbinate swab collected by a healthcare provider or by a supervised onsite self-collection (using a flocked...
An anterior nares (nasal swab) specimen collected by a healthcare provider or by onsite or home self-collection (using a...
Nasopharyngeal wash/aspirate or nasal wash/aspirate (NW) specimen collected by a healthcare... "
Considering the big uptick for Sona, I would expect Avacta to be following in the same direction (upwards). I just read this from Nikkib from the Mercia board (disclaimer: I am invested in Merc) and thought his views might be interesting to share:
"Sona’s website showing that they will be sourcing the reagents for their Covid-19 test from The Native Antigen Company.
https://sonanano.com/partners/
The Native Antigen Company is 30% owned by Mercia and has teamed up with Oxgene (also 30% owned by Mercia) to scale up production of reagents for Sona and others.
https://thenativeantigencompany.com/about-us/events/
Also worth noting that The Native Antigen Company are supplying reagents to BBI Solutions who are part of the UK Rapid Test Consortium that has just announced a design freeze on their home antibody test. The lead partner in this consortium is Abingdon Health (a Mercia investment fund company) who have scaled up production by taking over a production site from Concepta (another Mercia investee company). BBI are supplying the reagents for the consortium so these are presumably from The Native Antigen company."
So much for those who were suggesting that Sona were struggling to bring their test to market. Clearly not struggling at all. Hopefully a good omen for Avacta.
Congratulations, Sona Tech. +83% today.
With the American giants involved. We should be there abouts. Can't afford to lose any more time especially with a competition now running ahead of us.
April 13th Sona press release
April 13, 2020 – Halifax, Canada – Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA), (OTCQB: SNANF) (the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the development, manufacturing arrangements and pre-orders for its Covid-19 antigen test. The Company this past week has:
Progressed from feasibility and prototype testing to the optimization stage for its Covid-19 antigen rapid response test;
Commenced work with two, third-party laboratories to prepare validation protocols;
Signed a memorandum of understanding to manufacture its test with a second contract manufacturer in North America;
Accepted pre-orders for a further 1,250,000 of the Company’s antigen detecting, rapid-response test; and
Sona released their test results.. you really think Avacta won't be soon?