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... could be approved in days. Test takes 18 minutes. Accuracy 99.8% and could be rolled out by the NHS from the middle of May if backed by Public Health England. It is being assessed by U.K. scientists who will publish findings by the end of the week.
"Could be produced in the tens of millions and will soon be available in the US and much of Europe" said Roche.
All according to The Telegraph.
Sounds a major potential development on the antibody front.
RK - good call.
Axa Fram Biotech Fund - last 5 yrs +31% - last 6 wks +26%
Axa Fram Healthcare Fund - last 5 yrs +45% - last 6 wks +23%
If you're into IT's, then Worldwide Healthcare Trust (WWH) is a broadly-based and fairly safe long term hold - IMO
Worldwide Healthcare Trust - last 5 yrs + 76% - last 6 wks +47%
If AVCT comes really good in the next month or two, then if I top-slice a little then these are where the cash might well finish up, as things stand at the moment. (I hold WWH and Axa Fram Biotech). No advice to anyone is offered - I'm just noting the performance of these which I guess are in favour in these times.
Good luck all, and stay safe.
It seems obvious to me that the quality and efficacy of TTT will be vastly enhanced by a reliable test that can give results in a few minutes (while you wait in fact) rather than in a few hours or a couple of days.
Following that mention on the BBC about saliva tests this morning, I'm sure Prof John Newton and colleagues are being kept bang up to date with progress, including of AVCT. I would listen to the 5pm conferences carefully from now on for any hints.
I think the specificity (and the false-positive rate therefore) are likely to be OK. I'm not so sure about the sensitivity (and the false-negative rate therefore) - we will perhaps find out soon hopefully. It may be acceptable as a POC stat test though, in view of the desperate lack of such a mass-produced antigen test (like AVCT) worldwide at the moment.
banjowest 10:50
I agree that the specificity, and hence false-positive rate, may be respectable with the affirmer test.
The sensitivity (and false-negative rate) is also a potential issue with antigen tests.
Regulatory authorities will need to have some handle on both these figures before approval is granted. I would be amazed if all that is completed by May 6th - even if the basic LFT has been shown to work (which will of course be a major step forward).
I will be holding on to my shares long and strong whatever!
The recent news about the home-testing kit with a swab is encouraging - but the big downside is sample adequacy of a nasal swab unless done by someone experienced. As a retired medic I can tell you getting a "good quality" swab can be an uncomfortable procedure for some people, but should not be painful.
Also this test seems a little fiddly for a first-time and inexperienced user.
A small drop of saliva on a slide, however - no problem for anybody I guess, whatever their discomfort threshold, and in addition whatever their age.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/26/home-testing-surge-may-backfire-warns-adviser-false-negatives/
Hello Myles,
Thanks for another informative post.
I rarely, if ever, post about other contributions to BB's but I strongly agree with your last paragraph added I think as a bit of an afterthought..
I do not understand why those who regard others as trolls, or forever solely responding to them (& therefore also trolls) do not simply filter them.all. I do, and it makes for a much better quality BB read I assure you. Do it!
Add now Sky News and The Telegraph headlining -
"They were announced with great fanfare. But a leaked document reveals that early coronavirus tests given to thousands of NHS workers so they could return to work have been found to be flawed. The Public Health England memo warns of "degraded" performance, which means results are less reliable than was first thought."
Oh dear.
Most here are aware of the General Meeting postponement. Did AVCT ever give any reason either at the time of the announcement, or subsequently, as to the reason for postponement to the same date of the analyst and investor briefing, Q& A session and webcast presentation? #justasking !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCWE7NN7QsY
Sona Nanotech - their lateral flow test status was discussed about a week ago. See link.
I guess this will have been posted before, but in case you missed it here's the link again.
sheltie 12:30
You say "there are currently 21 companies trying to get a Test to market, right now, so it's a very congested space. "
Where is that information from? Do you have a list of the 21?
MR.Spacetomato - 18:40
Thanks for that information about the HK study. Very interesting indeed. Perhaps those findings are somewhat encouraging for Avacta's saliva test, more so than the studies I posted on. The world is still learning about all this, and that certainly includes me!
Keep posting what you find on this sort of stuff - thx!
Wbernard - 13:52
I posted this yesterday :
"Wbernard - the exact viral load (RNA molecules/ml) required to establish covid-19 respiratory disease has not been established yet, AFAIK.
Because of the rapidity of spread some are suggesting it may be quite low.
Interestingly, there was no difference in estimated viral load in those with symptoms and those without in Lombardy.
Similarly in China, a study looking at daily throat swabs starting on the day they became ill and finishing when they cleared the virus found no difference in viral load between milder cases and those who developed more severe symptoms.
So there is much that is not yet understood about this virus. Medically and scientifically interesting for sure, but a little disconcerting in more general terms I think."
That's all I could find on this up to yesterday. Haven't looked again today.
Wbernard - you say "...…..which don't look high enough to detect coronavirus."
Can you tell me where is the information about the typical molar viral load needed to result in coronavirus infection? I haven't found that, and would be interested to know. Thanks.