GenScript Biotech Corporation, Parkway Laboratories and the Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub announced their collaboration to provide the cPass? SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody test in Singapore through Parkway's panel of specialist and GP clinics.

GenScript Biotech Corporation, Parkway Laboratories and the Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub collaborate to provide the cPass? SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody test in Singapore.

Neutralizing antibodies are a small percentage of antibodies that bind to sites on the virus and inhibit entry of that virus into the host. Unlike the many COVID-19 lab-based antibody test kits commercially available, cPass? can detect functional neutralizing antibodies. Traditionally, measuring neutralizing antibodies requires the use of live virus, cells, highly skilled operators, and complex laboratory procedures that require several days in the laboratory to obtain results and limit their widespread use. In contrast, the cPass? kit can be performed in most standard laboratories with a short turnaround time (approx. 1hr). cPass? is also adaptable to high throughput and fully automated testing.

The cPass? SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit was co-developed by Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), a research-intensive graduate-entry medical school, GenScript, and DxD Hub. The kit has received provisional authorization by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) Singapore, CE-IVD marking in Europe and emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"As a leading biotech company, we take it as our responsibility to contribute in fighting COVID-19 with our technology and global collaboration with partners. We are very glad to cooperate with Parkway and DxD in Singapore to serve our local community with cPass?," said Johnson Wang, President in Asia Pacific Region at GenScript.

"Parkway Laboratories has been in close partnership with DxD Hub since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as early adopters of new diagnostic platforms that gave our frontline clinicians the necessary detection tools to make astute clinical decisions. We are now delighted to continue this partnership and welcome cPass? into our SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic armamentarium to provide measurement of neutralizing antibodies. This will provide valuable information on vaccinations for our patients," said Dr Daniel Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Parkway Laboratories.

Dr Sidney Yee, Chief Executive Officer of DxD Hub, said: "As a national platform which aims to accelerate the translation of R&D to clinically validated diagnostics, we are heartened to see this public-private partnership act very quickly to make the innovative cPass? diagnostic test available to clinicians in Singapore."

Professor Wang Linfa from the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School who invented this assay said: "Unlike other commercially available antibody tests which detect binding antibodies in general, the cPass? platform was invented to specifically monitor functional neutralizing antibodies, and is the only antibody test approved by Health Science Authority (HSA) Singapore and FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for that purpose."

About GenScript Biotech Corporation

GenScript Biotech Corporation (Stock Code: 1548.HK) is a global biotechnology group. Built upon its leading gene synthesis technology, GenScript is divided into four major platforms including the life science contract research organization (CRO) platform, the biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) platform, the global cell therapy platform and the industrial synthesis biological product platform.

GenScript was founded in New Jersey, US in 2002 and listed on the Hong Kong, S.A.R., China Stock Exchange in 2015. GenScript's business operations span over 100 countries and regions worldwide with legal entities located in the US, Mainland China, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands and Ireland. GenScript provides premium, convenient and reliable products and services for over 100,000 customers. As of December 31, 2020, GenScript had more than 4600 employees globally, over 39% of whom hold master's and/or Ph.D. degrees. In addition, GenScript owns a number of intellectual property rights and trade secrets, including 146 patents and 517 pending patent applications.

Driven by the corporate mission of "making people and nature healthier through biotechnology", GenScript strives to become the most trustworthy biotech company in the world. As of December 31, 2020, GenScript's products or services have been cited by 52,500 peer-reviewed journal articles worldwide.

About Parkway Laboratories

Parkway Laboratories is one of Singapore's leading private laboratories with a central reference laboratory which has attained multiple accreditations such as ISO 15189, College of American Pathologist (CAP), and Joint Commission International (JCI), ensuring consistent and high-quality services in the areas of clinical laboratory, histopathology and molecular diagnostics. In addition, it operates four well-equipped laboratories located within IHH Healthcare's four hospitals in Singapore, to provide fast and accurate results for patients and medical practitioners. Parkway Laboratories was the first private laboratory approved by MOH to commence COVID-19 PCR testing and remains one of the few high volume laboratories in Singapore supporting the collective national effort for both COVID-19 PCR and Serology testing. 

About the Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub

The Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub is a national initiative in Singapore, led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).  The DxD Hub aims to accelerate the transformation of innovations into clinically validated diagnostic devices that are ready for market adoption.  Through impactful products, empowering local enterprises and anchoring global companies in Singapore, the DxD Hub contributes to the development of an effective diagnostic devices ecosystem in Singapore.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability.  A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis.