Delivering Simple, Fast and Accurate

DELIVERING SIMPLE, FAST AND ACCURATE COVID-19 DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS

KAUST research team creates user-friendly point-of-care test kits

Real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the most widely used method for detecting RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Unfortunately, as a testing method, it has several glaring downsides: RT-PCR testing requires highly trained personnel and sophisticated infrastructure, and involves transporting samples to central laboratories for analysis. KAUST Associate Professor of Bioengineering Magdy Mahfouz and his team have developed a user-friendly SARS-CoV-2 virus-detection method that could ultimately be as easy to use as a pregnancy test or glucose sensor.

Associate Professor Mahfouz and his team have developed a solution they call iSCAN for in-vitro CRISPR-based analysis for nucleic acid detection. It is a system that involves reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), coupled with CRISPR enzymes for the rapid, accurate and sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

To use iSCAN, a patient’s nasopharyngeal swab sample is placed in a small test tube containing the DNA primers and enzymes that can amplify SARS-CoV-2 genetic material. The contents are incubated at a temperature of 62°C for half an hour. This process is referred to as RT-LAMP. Once enough viral RNA is amplified, a droplet containing the enzyme Cas12 is added to the

KING SAUD UNIVERSITY

“KAUST’s iSCAN revolutionizes our ability to conduct massive-scale testing, which will help public health authorities understand the transmission of the virus, build predictive models and employ effective measures to control the spread.”

mix and left for another 15 minutes. This enzyme only recognizes viral RNA belonging to SARS-CoV-2, overcoming an issue with RT-LAMP, where false amplification and cross-contamination can be a problem. The whole process takes less than an hour.

iSCAN has also been designed to be easy to use in the field. The equipment needed is minimal, and can be transported and stored over long distances. Perhaps most important of all, it does not require any special training to use. This means it can be easily adopted as a point-of-care detection system at airports and borders.

Another major advantage of iSCAN is that the kit’s enzyme reagents can be manufactured locally. This is a potential game-changer for virus testing in the Kingdom, as the availability of reagents and equipment has been a significant obstacle since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. All the enzymes used in iSCAN’s development were produced in KAUST labs.

Interpreting results from the test are also straightforward, and Associate Professor Mahfouz and his team have two methods for visualizing the result. One involves shining ultraviolet light on the sample, with a detector analyzing the light to report the amount of viral RNA shown. The other approach involves inserting specially designed strips into the tubes, similar to those used in pregnancy tests.

iSCAN has been successfully tested on real patient samples. The researchers are collaborating with different groups in the Kingdom to benchmark iSCAN against commercial kits including RT-qPCR, the gold standard for SARSCoV-2 detection. Once vetted, the kit will be suitable for commercial use.

MAGDY MAHFOUZ Associate Professor of Bioengineering

WE ENVISION THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT VERSION OF iSCAN INTO A VERSION THAT WOULD BE AS EASY TO USE AS A PREGNANCY TEST OR GLUCOSE SENSOR.

With each new wave of the pandemic, a test that is more rapid, accurate, sensitive and user-friendly could have a big impact. Deployment of iSCAN could allow infected people to be more effectively isolated, and thus help limit the accelerating spread of the virus. These efforts may contribute to overcoming the current challenge of COVID-19 detection at a large scale and in a short time for effective disease management.