Oxford Immunotec’s T-SPOT Discovery SARS-CoV-2 Test is Used in the UK COVID-19 Human Challenge Study to Investigate the T Cell Response to SARS-CoV-2 Infection

OXFORD, United Kingdom and MARLBOROUGH, Mass., May 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oxford Immunotec, a global, high-growth diagnostics company part of PerkinElmer, today announced that its T-SPOT^® Discovery SARS-CoV-2 kit is being used for T cell testing in the UK COVID-19 Human Challenge Study, a national collaboration including the UK government, the NHS, academia and the private sector. The study is funded by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) through the UK Vaccines Taskforce and is being delivered through a partnership between government, hVIVO (part of Open Orphan plc), Imperial College London, and The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

The groundbreaking UK COVID-19 Human Challenge Study has global importance as the first study of its type in the world, and the data generated should help to develop vaccines against COVID-19 much more quickly and efficiently. The first stage of the trial, which commenced in March, will enable identification of the most appropriate dose of the virus needed to cause COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in a safe and controlled environment. The participants will have a complete analysis of their immune response to infection carried out (including T cells) which should lead to a better understanding of the profile, magnitude, and duration of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. This study will therefore establish an optimised dose and study design that will subsequently be used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment and vaccine candidates, including level and duration of immune protection, in follow-on studies.

A custom version of Oxford Immunotec’s T-SPOT Discovery SARS-CoV-2 kit (for research use only) will be used in this study. The kit uses the T-SPOT technology platform, a standardized ELISPOT methodology, to detect the T cell immune response in study subjects. Understanding the T cell immune response, in addition to the antibody response (via serology), may offer additional insights into how the complete immune system responds to infection and vaccination. As T cells are the first responders of the immune system and are known to be long lived, using T cells to measure immune response may overcome some of the limitations of serology testing. A CE marked IVD version of the kit (the T-SPOT.COVID test) is also available from Oxford Immunotec.

Dr. Magdalena Dudek, VP, Product Development at Oxford Immunotec said, “The UK COVID-19 Human Challenge Study has global significance, and the potential to be a much more efficient and faster way to understand the disease and how our immune system fights it. We are very excited to be a part of this trial which should accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments against COVID-19. We are proud of our continual partnership with the UK Vaccines Taskforce which enables us to provide T cell testing for this critical clinical trial.”

For further information about the study visit: www.ukcovidchallenge.com  
For further information visit: www.tspotdiscovery.com

T-SPOT Discovery SARS-CoV-2 is for research use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Oxford Immunotec
Oxford Immunotec is a global, high-growth diagnostics company and part of the PerkinElmer group. We bring energy and invention to a world in need of diagnostic truth. We are uniquely placed as the only company in the world offering regulated ELISPOT assays for T cell measurement, with approval around the globe. Our leading product, the T-SPOT.TB test, is used for diagnosing infection with Tuberculosis, the world’s largest cause of death from infectious disease. Oxford Immunotec is an experienced manufacturer of IVD tests, operating under a fully audited Quality Management System, ensuring rigorous batch control. The company has manufactured in excess of 20 million clinical T cell tests for TB infection. The T-SPOT.TB test has been approved for sale in over 50 countries, including the United States (where it has received pre-market approval from the Food and Drug Administration), Europe (where it has obtained a CE mark), as well as Japan and China. The recently released T-SPOT.COVID test is CE marked in Europe for clinical use to detect the T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 (www.tspotcovid.com). Oxford Immunotec is headquartered near Oxford, U.K. and in Marlborough, MA. Additional information can be found at www.oxfordimmunotec.com.

About PerkinElmer
PerkinElmer enables scientists, researchers and clinicians to address their most critical challenges across science and healthcare. With a mission focused on innovating for a healthier world, we deliver unique solutions to serve the diagnostics, life sciences, food and applied markets. We strategically partner with customers to enable earlier and more accurate insights supported by deep market knowledge and technical expertise. Our dedicated team of about 14,000 employees worldwide is passionate about helping customers work to create healthier families, improve the quality of life, and sustain the wellbeing and longevity of people globally. The Company reported revenue of approximately $3.8 billion in 2020, serves customers in 190 countries, and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information is available through 1-877-PKI-NYSE, or at www.perkinelmer.com.

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