South Korea: Seegene develops diagnostic reagent for monkeypox

Seoul [South Korea], June 29 (ANI/Global Economic): Seegene, a South Korean molecular diagnosis company, said on June 28 that it has developed the diagnostic reagent for monkeypox "NovaplexTM MPXV Assay."
Seegene explained that it has developed the diagnostic reagent that accurately detects the monkeypox based on its reagent development know-how accumulated for 20 years and its own artificial intelligence (AI)-based reagent development automation system, "SGDDS (Seegene Digitalized Development System)."
Monkeypox, which is an endemic disease in Africa, has spread in some 50 countries already since it is first discovered in the UK last month, and a positive case was confirmed for the first time in Korea on the 22nd.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the monkeypox is clearly an evolving health threat and stressed that the government and institutions should start carefully monitoring, contact tracing, and diagnostic tests. The fatality rate of monkeypox reaches 3-6 per cent, and children and immunocompromised are in high-risk groups.
There is a treatment for monkeypox, so it can be treated after a diagnosis is accurately made. In particular, treatments are more effective in the early stages of infection. Thus experts said considering the characteristics of monkeypox, which has a maximum 21-day incubation, rapid test and diagnosis such as PCR tests are required to quickly prevent the pandemic.
Seegene said the new product can be detected the monkeypox virus in an hour and a half, and it has quickly developed to prevent the pandemic. Seegene will supply it to countries where the monkeypox virus is spreading, including Europe. (ANI/Global Economic)