Novacyt S.A. ("Novacyt", the "Company" or the “Group”)

R&D Update - Seite 2

A number of NHS hospitals are already using Novacyt’s NPT system in hospital departments. Pilot programmes are underway in surgical, cancer and imaging departments where rapid, accurate testing is a pre-requisite to the patient receiving care. In addition, the NPT system is being used in the private sector, such as professional sport and mining industries. The Company is currently evaluating other markets where the NPT system could be used for rapid and frequent COVID-19 testing.

Launch of new sample type

The Company’s COVID-19 test was developed for use with sample types initially preferred by testing authorities and key opinion leaders, which include oropharyngeal (throat) and nasopharyngeal (nasal) swabs, and sputum. To support ease of patient sampling, lower levels of discomfort and demonstrate more reproducible data, other less invasive and easier to collect sample types have been discussed by various authorities.

Recent studies¹ have demonstrated that saliva often has far higher numbers of viral particles compared with nasopharyngeal swabs. An independent study carried out by the Liverpool School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine using Novacyt’s COVID-19 test concluded that “SARS-Cov-2 can be detected with greater sensitivity in saliva samples compared to nasal swabs” ². Further to completing its own validation of the saliva sampling type, Novacyt confirms this sample type can be used with its COVID-19 test.

In addition, as detailed in the Company’s announcement on 22 July 2020, a 2,000 patient clinical trial led Queen Mary University of London using Novacyt's near-patient testing system, is evaluating the effectiveness of mid-nose nasal swabs compared to invasive nasopharyngeal swabs as a further sampling type.

Development of a respiratory testing panel

There remains a challenge for healthcare providers in differentiating COVID-19 from other respiratory diseases, particularly during a seasonal flu outbreak, due to patients presenting with similar symptoms. This is driving the requirement for the development of respiratory testing panels that are able to diagnose and distinguish the difference between types of flu and COVID-19. Novacyt has been working closely with certain key opinion leaders to determine the make-up of such panels. This has resulted in the development of a panel covering the differential diagnosis of influenza A&B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19. Novacyt expects to launch the panel as a CE Mark product in September 2020 for the 2020/21 “flu season” in the Northern hemisphere.