We want to provide an update with regards to the newest SARS-CoV2 variant: Omicron (B.1.1.529). Our current SARS-CoV2 test WILL DETECT the Omicron variant. Applied Ingenuity Diagnostics’ test has probes against multiple gene targets, the nucleocapsid (N-gene) and envelope (E-gene) genes. The Omicron variant has S-dropout where there are missing genetic sequences in the S-gene. Since our assay is NOT targeted against the S-gene, these S-gene mutations are not problematic for our assay. Furthermore, current swabs and collection devices distributed by our company are still compatible with the assay.
Applied InGENuity Diagnostics has conducted an in-silico analysis and experimental testing using RNA sequences continuing the mutations (S-drop out) of the Omicron variant. This analysis confirms that Applied Ingenuity Diagnostics’ test is still useful for the detection of the Omnicron variant as well as other variants of concern.