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Todos Medical Announces Positive Initial Clinical Proof-of-Concept Data for a Rapid SARS-CoV-2 3CL Protease Detection Assay
Todos Medical Announces Positive Initial Clinical Proof-of-Concept Data for a Rapid SARS-CoV-2 3CL Protease Detection Assay.
About this update from Todos Medical Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n NEW YORK, NY, REHOVAT, ISRAEL, SINGAPORE, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Todos Medical (OTCQB: TOMDF), an in vitro diagnostics company focused on distributing comprehensive solutions for COVID-19 screening and diagnosis, and developing blood tests for early detection of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, today announced positive clinical proof of concept data from its lab-based rapid SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease diagnostic assay in collaboration with its COVID Antigen Test Killer LLC joint venture partner NLC Pharma. The data generated by NLC Pharma in Israel produced 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in PCR-confirmed positive and negative COVID-19 patient samples. The team is now gathering additional clinical data to submit an emergency use authorization (EUA) to the United States Food & Drug Administration ( FDA) for its lab-based test to be distributed through Todos’ existing lab distribution channels.  Todos is evaluating the best option for the commercialization of its rapid point-of-care version of the 3CL protease assay for the screening and diagnosis of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers, based on recent updated guidance from the FDA for COVID-19 diagnostic point of care tests. “The 3CL protease is proving to be an exciting reliable, cost effective and rapid alternative to RNA analysis for detecting SARS-CoV-2,” said Dr. Dorit Arad, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of NLC Pharma. “We base our technology on sound science, and our assay concept - to detect only the live enzyme activity -  has  advantages over rapid antigen testing that can include high rates of false positives and false negatives. Our rapid test, on the other hand, is based on detecting 3CL protease activity which is present only at the stage when the virus is actively replicating. Thus, an active protease indicates the presence of a live and replicating virus.  Our technology is ideally suited for the high sensitivity detection of individuals infected with replicating virus, regardless of symptom status.” “Just last week we saw Elon Musk take issue with the lack of consistency with antigen testing, and we wholeheartedly understand his concern,” said Jorge Leon, PhD, Chief Medical & Scientific Officer of To...