Inner Mongolia Ennuo Biotechnology Co in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region has successfully developed a new coronavirus sample release agent for nucleic acid-free extraction and pathogen nucleic acid detection. According to information from the autonomous region’s science and technology department, the achievement has reached the highest domestic level.

The sample release agent is mainly used for the pretreatment of a specimen that is about to be tested, so that the test substance in the sample is released. This process is convenient for the subsequent use of in vitro diagnostic reagents or instruments for further testing.

Zang Xiaoming, deputy general manager of Inner Mongolia Ennuo Biotechnology Co, stated that the sample release agent’s main components are enzymes, microspheres, tris and Triton-100, which can quickly decompose cells and viruses in the sample at room temperature. After heating at 75 degrees Celsius, the nucleic acid is wholly released, ensuring the subsequent polymerase chain reaction’s efficient amplification.

The sample release agent can ensure that the virus capsid is completely lysed, which guarantees the operator’s safety. Also, the nucleic acid is fully released, and the nuclease is cleared, which increases the virus detection rate.

Meanwhile, nucleic acid extraction is not required, which avoids crossover infection of samples during the extraction process. 

As a nucleic acid-free extraction method applied to pathogen nucleic acid detection, it features no extraction step, lower detection cost and requires less time. The new method also advances the development trend of rapid detection.

Currently, the sample release agent has been exported to countries and regions such as Malaysia and Pakistan.