Sixth Wave AMIPS Detects Delta Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 3, 2021) - Sixth Wave Innovations Inc. (CSE: SIXW) (OTCQB: SIXWF) (FSE: AHUH) ("Sixth Wave", "SIXW" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its molecular detection technology has successfully detected the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Detection was accomplished through a colour-based sensor that uses the Company's patent-pending Accelerated Molecular Imprinted Polymers ("AMIPs™") technology.
The test work was performed under the direction of Dr. Michael Joyce, a senior research scientist in medical microbiology at the University of Alberta's Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology ("LKS").
The worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to mutations and multiple variants of the virus that can increase its virulence, morbidity, and mortality. The Delta variant is spreading widely among the unvaccinated public, as well as showing an ability to infect fully vaccinated individuals. There is widespread agreement in the scientific community that the virus will continue to mutate and likely produce additional variants of concern.
The Company's work has clearly demonstrated the ability to create a molecular imprinted polymer for additional viruses and bacteria, demonstrating that the AMIPS market extends well beyond clinical testing and COVID-19. The Company is quickly moving through a program of development and scale-up milestones toward a wide range of AMIPs Virus rapid detection devices. The spectrum of prospective products will include SIXW's SmartMask™ offerings (see SIXW Press Release dated May 15, 2020), in addition to smart-clothing, PPE applications, airborne sensors, breathalyzers, ELISA-based technologies, cartridge/lateral flow designs, and others.
Sixth Wave's AMIPs technology has the rapid detection capability to keep pace with this constantly changing diagnostic environment. Published market analysis indicates the market for COVID-19 diagnostic testing is expected to grow for the next few years and remain at levels higher than 2020 through at least 2027.
(https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/covid-19-diagnostics-market).
The ability to detect the presence of Delta or other variants will therefore be crucial.
"In the span of just a few months, we have validated detection of the critical variants of the COVID-19 virus and have moved significantly toward detection levels that are clinically relevant," said Dr. Jon Gluckman, President, and CEO of Sixth Wave. "The continued successes in the development of the AMIPs platform are compelling and a testament to the work of the combined Sixth Wave and University of Alberta team."
The colour-based sensor testing using a pseudo-ELISA test format demonstrated functionality similar to an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ("ELISA") test) and was achieved using a commercial off-the-shelf fluorescent dye. The virus samples were tested in cell culture supernatant to allow for basic specificity parameters. The fluorescent-based sensors demonstrated a significant signal compared to the negative control (cell culture supernatant without virus).
"By imprinting and detecting the whole virus, AMIPs can be highly resistant to virus mutation compared to technologies such as immunoassay-based techniques that use antibodies that bind a small region of the virus spike protein," said Dr. Gluckman. "The project is now focused on achieving additional sensitivity, and is testing selectivity against other viruses and potential interferents that would be present in clinical samples."
The results of this work align closely with research being performed by Sixth Wave and York University toward the development of additional sensor formats using AMIPS. As noted in the Company's July 27, 2021 press release, several techniques for creating novel sensor arrays using AMIPS have shown high sensitivity and are applicable for detecting biological material in both air and liquid samples.
As previously reported, SIXW has filed two patents regarding the AMIPs™ technology and its application to specific products that can utilize AMIPs™. The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its current AMIPs™ product has the ability to eliminate, cure, contain, or detect, at a commercial level, COVID-19 (or SARS-2 coronavirus) at this time.
For more information on the AMIPs™ and associated molecular imprinting technology, please visit: https://www.amips.com