Unlike currently available serological COVID-19 tests that detect an antibody response to the virus, AXIM’s rapid 10-minute test measures a specific subpopulation of antibodies to block binding of the virus to host cell receptors. While there are expensive, time consuming laboratory tests that measure neutralizing antibodies, NeuCovixTM differs in that it is a portable, low cost, rapid point-of-care test with results in 10 minutes.
“We are hopeful our test fills an important need in these uncertain times. While other tests merely show whether someone was infected with coronavirus, we took it a step further by creating a test that stratifies individuals into those who have neutralizing antibodies, which are essential in preventing reinfection, and those who don’t. The test can be deployed for point of care use in convalescent plasma transfusions to severely ill patients and for evaluating efficacy of upcoming vaccines in generating protective antibodies,” said Sergei Svarovsky, PhD, MBA, AXIM’s CSO and co-inventor of NeuCovixTM.
An immediate application of NeuCovixTM, a point-of-care test, is to measure levels of neutralizing antibodies in convalescent plasma so that plasma with the highest levels of neutralizing antibodies can be identified and administered to patients fighting COVID-19. Without this knowledge, many patients could be undertreated with non-neutralizing plasma and may not benefit from this treatment.
Another application of NeuCovixTM is to help ensure that vaccines elicit high levels of neutralizing antibodies. When a vaccine is available, manufacturers can employ the NeuCovixTM rapid, point-of-care test to evaluate protective immune responses in vaccine recipients.
AXIM® Biotech CEO John W. Huemoeller II commented, “Our goal was to make this test, accurate, fast and relatively inexpensive so it could serve as an ‘Immunity Passport™’ for vaccine developers around the world as they begin larger Phase II and III clinical trials. We are optimistic that NeuCovixTM will be widely used, becoming the gold standard in assessing levels of immunity.”
Doug Lake, Ph.D. and co-inventor of NeuCovixTM commented, “Everybody who recovers from COVID-19 makes antibodies against the virus, but since all antibodies are not created equal, you really want to know if the antibodies you make neutralize the virus. People who recover want to make sure they are protected from re-infection and that they won’t infect others.”
AXIM also announced the filing of a pre-Emergency Use Authorization Application (EUA) and has already initiated dialogue with the FDA in order to finalize its EUA submission. The intellectual property relating to the novel serological test is the subject of Provisional Patent Application No. 63/023,646 “Convalescent Plasma Testing and Treatment” filed on May 12, 2020.
About AXIM® Biotechnologies
Founded in 2014, AXIM® Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM) is a vertically integrated oncology company developing rapid diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancer and proprietary small molecules drugs to treat cancer and block metastasis. The Company is also developing novel antibodies for therapeutic and diagnostic uses for oncological therapeutics.