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Cytespace Africa Labs Expands Molecular Testing Capacity to Advance Clinical Trials Across Sub-Saharan Africa
Cytespace Africa Laboratories (Cytespace), an MLM Medical Labs company and the only fully CAP-accredited central laboratory in South Africa, has significantly expanded its molecular testing capabilities to meet rising demand across Sub-Saharan Africa. With the installation of multiple Roche cobas® 5800 systems, Cytespace has tripled its molecular diagnostic throughput—enabling high-volume, fully automated PCR testing to support a growing portfolio of clinical trials in infectious disease and bey
About this update from Roche Holding Ltd
[{"type":"text","content":"CITY OF TSHWANE, South Africa, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cytespace Africa Laboratories (Cytespace), an MLM Medical Labs company and the only fully CAP-accredited central laboratory in South Africa, has significantly expanded its molecular testing capabilities to meet rising demand across Sub-Saharan Africa. With the installation of multiple Roche cobas® 5800 systems, Cytespace has tripled its molecular diagnostic throughput—enabling high-volume, fully automated PCR testing to support a growing portfolio of clinical trials in infectious disease and beyond.","length":565,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"This strategic expansion enhances the laboratory's capacity to support Sponsors running vaccine and therapeutic trials for high-burden diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and emerging respiratory or transplant-related infections.","length":278,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""With our new cobas® platforms, we've significantly advanced our ability to deliver high-throughput, IVD-licensed molecular testing with rapid turnaround times," said Sorika van Niekerk, Managing Director at Cytespace Africa Laboratories. "The systems are currently supporting confirmatory and viral load testing for HIV-1/2, quantitative Hepatitis B/C, and diagnostics for STIs including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Mycoplasma, and Trichomonas. They also support expanded testing for HPV genotyping, respiratory panels, donor screening, and transplant pathogens."","length":582,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Cytespace operates under a one-roof model, integrating molecular diagnostics with flow cytometry, clinical chemistry, hematology, and a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facility. The site also manages all kit building and logistics—including both outbound and inbound sample management—ensuring centralized oversight and faster study startups.","length":336,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"This investment further strengthens Cytespace's role as a preferred clinical trial laboratory partner in Africa. With full compliance to CAP and ISO 15189 standards, and the backing of MLM Medical Labs' global specialty lab infrastructure, Cytespace delivers:","length":267,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"list","items":[{"val":[{"type":"text","content":"High-throughput, rapid infecti...