Prev Article:Viral Nucleic Acid Detection Overall Solution (Part 2)
3. Technical comparison
Molecular testing is the most widely used field of clinical nucleic acid testing, and qPCR testing is currently the "gold standard" for molecular testing. The main methodological paths of molecular detection are qPCR technology and isothermal amplification technology. qPCR has strong specificity and sensitivity, which can be used for quantitative detection of pathogens and achieve a large number of detections. However, the basic principles and reaction components of isothermal amplification technology are different, the reagent reaction system is complex, and the method is unstable, so false positives are prone to occur.
3.1 Comparison of qPCR Technology and Isothermal Technology
qPCR(Instrument + Reagent) | Isothermal Amplification(Instrument + Reagent) | |
Advantages | 1. Instant amplification and detection; 2. Stable methodology and controllable cost; 3. Gold standard for molecular detection; 4. High detection sensitivity; 5. Multiple detections are possible, with a wide range of application scenarios; 6. The detection quantity is large; 7. Most manufacturers do not need specific consumables, and the use cost is low. | 1. Instant amplification and detection; 2. Simple operation; 3. Some manufacturers' instruments have strong automation capabilities. |
Disadvantage | Reagent: 1.Reagents of most manufacturers need cold chain transportation, which costs a lot and has an uncontrollable process; 2. Most manufacturers have high requirements for reagent storage, which requires -20℃ freezer storage and high requirements for operators. Reagents cannot be repeatedly freeze-thaw. Instrument: 1. The instruments of most manufacturers are large, the application site area requirements are high, and the prices of instrument products are relatively high; 2. The core technology of some manufacturers is limited, and the detection time is relatively long. 3. Some manufacturers use low-cost detection components, and the detection sensitivity is limited; 4. Some manufacturers use moving parts to achieve detection, and the failure rate is high; | Reagent: 1. The reaction system is complex (special enzymes or multiple primer pairs are designed), the method is unstable, and false-negative results are prone to occur; 2. Reagents are difficult to achieve multiple detections; 3. The design of reagent primers is difficult, the enzymes used are special, and the cost of use is high; 4. It has high professional and technical requirements for operators; if the operation is improper, it is easy to cause environmental pollution; Instrument: 1. The technology is immature, the instrument is easy to break, and the maintenance cost is high; 2. Regular maintenance is required, and the maintenance cost is high; 3. The number of detections is small, and the application scenarios are limited; 4. The inside of the instrument requires moving parts for detection, which is prone to failure; 5. The detection time is relatively long, usually about 60 minutes.
Consumable: Specific consumables, high cost of use. |
3.2 Advantages of Anitoa
3.2.1 Methodological advantage
The gold standard of molecular detection - qPCR technology is used.
3.3.2 Reagent Advantages
(1) The use of lyophilized reagents eliminates the need for cold chain transportation, which greatly reduces transportation costs. The temperature requirements during transportation are less, and the performance is guaranteed.
(2) One-step rapid detection: No nucleic acid release agent is required, which greatly reduces the workload of the testing staff, saves time, and greatly reduces the contact time between the testing staff and the sample, which reduces the risk of infection for the testing staff to a certain extent.
(3) One-step quick detection: No need to purchase nucleic acid purification equipment and supporting reagents separately, which greatly saves the cost of detection and the operation is simple, safe, and pollution-free.
(4) Multiple detections: A single well can simultaneously detect novel coronavirus, Delta, and internal reference genes. Much better than some brands, their reagents cannot achieve multiple detections, so they need to sacrifice the number of well positions to achieve COVID-19 detection, that multiple wells are required.
3.2.3 Instrument Advantages
(1) Small and Portable: Easy to transport and low transportation cost, especially suitable for the site where the testing site is limited. Instant inspection.
(2) Controllable cost of use: core components are independently developed and produced, with a low cost of use and no need for regular maintenance.
(3) Stable and Reliable:The unique "ultra-high-sensitivity multi-pixel photoelectric sensor chip" and the highly integrated IC chip technology make the instrument structure simple, stable, and reliable, and the all-digital circuit is anti-interference. There are no moving parts inside the whole machine, which greatly improves the stability and reliability of the product, and greatly reduces the maintenance cost of the product.
(4) Fast Detection:Each channel is equipped with a chip, which collects the fluorescence signal of the whole well at millisecond speed without moving and scanning row by row, and there is no time interval between wells. A qPCR test for COVID-19 can be completed within 40 minutes (Anitoa’s reagent). Fast detection, and fast report.
(5) Relatively Large Number of Detections: In the portable platform, the Anitoa instrument can test 16 samples in 40 minutes, and 192 samples in 8 hours per day. Compared with a platform that detects 2-8 samples within 80 minutes, Anitoa has a wider range of application scenarios.
(6) Simple Operation: Supporting teaching video (duration: within 3 minutes), no on-site training is required, and users can get started quickly.
(7) Accurate: High sensitivity and specificity.
Professional Portable qPCR System Manufacturer - Anitoa
Anitoa is a professional R&D and manufacturing company of molecular diagnostic qPCR instruments and reagents, with independent intellectual property rights of core chip technology, optical technology, rapid heating, microfluidic control and supporting reagents and other patented technologies, so that the instruments developed by Anitoa are characterized by quick and easy small instruments, allowing the development of expensive and complex large PCR instruments into truly portable POCT products.