AXIM Biotech Develops 2nd-Gen COVID-19 Rapid Neutralizing Antibody Test

AXIM Biotechnologies, an international healthcare solutions company targeting oncological, COVID-19, and dry eye disease (DED) diagnostics, announced development of the second-generation version of its Rapid Neutralizing Antibody Test for COVID-19.
 
Although both antibodies and T cells are both involved in protection from COVID-19, antiviral T cell responses are technically and logistically difficult to measure. Unlike T cells, antiviral antibodies are relatively easy to detect and measure from a finger-stick drop of blood. The company’s first rapid test (currently under FDA review) is special because it measures levels of neutralizing antibodies, which provide protection from COVID-19 infection if blood levels are high enough.
 
The purpose of a vaccine is to induce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus to prevent infection but unfortunately, not all of these antibodies neutralize the virus and protect the vaccine recipient. AXIM scientists have developed the second-generation version of its original test which differentiates antibodies that simply bind to the virus but do not neutralize it versus antibodies that bind and neutralize the virus. This is an important distinction because COVID-19 vaccines do not induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies in all recipients. AXIM’s second generation test provides users with a test that shows if they responded to their COVID-19 vaccine and a semi-quantitative analysis of their neutralizing antibody levels in a single test.
 
“This new test is extremely important because it helps people know if they are protected after receiving the vaccine in just 10-minutes,” said John W. Huemoeller II, AXIM Biotech CEO. “People want to make sure they are protected as vaccine immunity wanes so that they don’t develop an asymptomatic infection and transmit the virus to vulnerable populations.”