Dublin, Ireland – 10th October 2022 - Aalto Bio Reagents Ltd., a leading global supplier of critical raw materials to the in-vitro diagnostic industry, is pleased to announce availability of its new peptides for Monkeypox virus (MPV) B21R- and B21R-B - BSA conjugate. As of 2nd October 2022, approximately 70,000 cases have been reported from 106 countries this year according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), prompting them to declare the outbreak “a public health emergency of international concern”.
MPV belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family, which is the same genus as variola virus (the cause of smallpox). Transmission occurs through close contact with skin lesions of an infected person, respiratory secretions and contact with infected surfaces. It is generally a self-limiting disease and treatment for most people is aimed at relieving symptoms. It is characterised by a fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache and a painful rash that is often mistaken for chickenpox, making diagnosis difficult on clinical symptoms alone.
Orthopoxviruses have highly conserved genomes, which can lead to significant antibody cross-reactivity among its members. The development of a standard antibody test for MPV is complicated by cross-reactive immune responses induced by vaccina, the virus used in smallpox vaccines. Aalto Bio’s new MPV peptides contain the surface glycoprotein B21R and this region contains important antibody targets as well as several key immunodominant epitopes. When conjugated to a carrier protein like BSA, this have been shown to greatly improve the sensitivity of the assay compared to unconjugated peptide, and enhance stability.
“Following a weary two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is facing a formidable new challenge in the form of MPV. Aalto Bio rose to the challenge and quickly developed these two new peptides when current testing resources were scarce. The world has learnt that an early response and better diagnostics is critical to containing these types of outbreaks” said Philip Noone, CEO of Aalto Bio Reagents.
About Aalto Bio Reagents
Aalto Bio Reagents, founded in 1978, is a leading developer and provider of biological raw materials to the in-vitro diagnostics industry and to research laboratories globally. It serves the largest multinational companies in the industry with a broad range of purified human proteins; monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies; fungal, parasitic, bacterial and viral antigens; and disease state plasma for in-vitro diagnostic application. Based in Dublin, Ireland, and now a member of the Biosynth Group, the company is rapidly expanding both its product portfolio and customer base. For further information please visit www.aaltobioreagents.com