Thermo Fisher Scientific Updates TaqMan SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel to Enable Direct Identification of Omicron Variant

CARLSBAD, Calif.: CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced an update to its Applied Biosystems TaqMan SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Panel to enable direct detection of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The panel is designed with a customizable menu of real-PCR genotyping assays to accurately identify known SARS-COV-2 variants in just over an hour. South African researchers first identified the Omicron variant in November 2021 and it has since been detected in dozens of countries in the weeks that followed. The discovery has prompted further studies examining its potential for increased transmissibility or the ability to subvert protection from vaccines. These properties are believed to stem from mutations found in the Omicron variant, including multiple modifications in the S gene [G339D and Q493R]. The new assays were developed two weeks after the WHO classified Omicron as a variant of concern, enabling public…
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