Thermo Fisher’s new assay helps detect drug resistant strains of HIV-1

Thermo Fisher Scientific has launched Applied Biosystems HIV-1 Genotyping Kit with Integrase, a research use only an assay, that examines positive samples of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to identify genetic variants that resist common antiretroviral therapeutics. The kit is designed to support the detection of the UNAIDS 2030 95-95-95 HIV targets, which aims to have 95 per cent of people living with

HIV to be diagnosed, 95 per cent who are diagnosed to be receiving treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment to be virally suppressed. This enhanced research assay, which is compatible with the recently launched Applied Biosystems MagMAX Viral/Pathogen Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit for HIV-1 Blood Spots, provides laboratories with a standardised tool for drug resistance surveillance of HIV mutations to antiretroviral therapeutic inhibitors which can help identify global areas of need.