Roche announced the launch of three molecular PCR diagnostic test panels to simultaneously detect and differentiate common respiratory pathogens. They are influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Second, adenovirus (ADV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and enterovirus/rhinovirus (EV/RV) and finally parainfluenza 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The three tests can be run together or individually from a single nasopharyngeal swab specimen. As respiratory viruses circulating within a community can vary depending on seasonality and geography, a flexible testing option based on a syndromic-style panel enables personalised healthcare and helps reduce unnecessary testing.

Patients with respiratory infections often have signs and symptoms that are indicative of the disease but are not specific enough to discern the root cause of the illness. Syndromic testing allows clinicians to test patients simultaneously for multiple pathogens based on overlapping symptoms. By detecting the most common pathogens that cause disease on a flexible set of test panels together, clinicians are provided with actionable insights so the right therapeutic can be prescribed sooner compared to conventional test methods. This, in turn, enables timely infection control, proper hospital bed management and improved patient care.

“Our latest set of syndromic respiratory solutions allows clinicians to choose the appropriate tests based on the healthcare setting, season and patient needs,” said Thomas Schinecker, CEO Roche Diagnostics. ”By testing only what is medically relevant and necessary, we enable targeted therapy, avoid misuse of antibiotics and reduce unnecessary intervention.”

These new respiratory test panels run on the Cobas Omni Utility Channel for use with the widely available, high-volume Cobas 6800/8800 systems, which have proven to bring reliable results quickly to meet the urgent demand for patient testing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The addition of these tests will equip health systems to combat new respiratory diseases when they arise. Roche is looking to expand the availability of these tests beyond CE markets in the future.