TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 31, 2020 / StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd (TSX:SZLS) ("StageZero" or the "Company") today announced that it is preparing to offer testing for COVID-19 in both the U.S. and Canada. StageZero will offer both the serology point-of-care and lab-based PCR tests.
StageZero operates a CLIA certified, high complexity laboratory in Richmond, Virginia which is qualified to perform the testing for COVID-19. Our fully integrated telehealth platform which supports our cancer diagnostics program is well suited to point-of-care testing for COVID-19, as well as obtaining swabs for the lab-based PCR tests.
Lab-based PCR tests are based on a swab, usually nasopharyngeal, which captures a sample of the live virus which is then sent to the lab for analysis. Results, which are available within days of receipt of the swab, indicate whether or not the patient has the current virus infection.
Serology tests are conducted on a small sample of blood which is collected by a phlebotomist at the point of care. A result is available within 15 minutes and can immediately be provided to the patient. All tests are authorized by a telehealth physician. A positive test will indicate the patient has been infected by the COVID-19 virus and has developed antibodies to the infection. Detection of IgM antibodies indicates recent infection, while IgG antibodies gradually appear and increase in the late stage of infection.
Both types of tests are needed.
During this pandemic, we need to confirm the COVID-19 infection in people, especially those who have symptoms, are elderly, have chronic medical conditions, or have recently returned from travel, so that we can trace contacts.
We also need to know who has been infected already, and is recovering or has recovered without complication, as this is likely a much greater number than those who develop significant symptoms.
StageZero is pleased to offer its proprietary Telehealth Platform to provide access to the tests. We plan to share the demographic data with the wider healthcare community as it will be invaluable in the broader fight against COVID-19.
We are in discussions with the U.S. FDA and Health Canada. Upon approval, StageZero will announce when the formal testing begins and provide details on how to access the tests.
About StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd.
StageZero Life Sciences is dedicated to the early detection of cancer and multiple disease states through whole blood. Aristotle®, our next generation test, is a panel for simultaneously screening for 10 cancers from a single sample of blood with high sensitivity and specificity for each cancer. Aristotle is built on our proven and proprietary Sentinel Principle Technology Platform which has been validated on 10,000 patients and used to develop the first liquid biopsy for Colorectal Cancer, with further validation currently underway. In addition to building a pipeline of products for early cancer detection, the Company operates a CAP accredited and CLIA certified reference laboratory based in Richmond, Virginia that offers the ColonSentry® test as well as licensed biomarker tests for breast and prostate cancers. To learn more visit www.stagezerolifesciences.com.