U of M researchers develop two new rapid COVID-19 tests

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed two new rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tests aimed to help Minnesotans more quickly and accurately find out if they are sick.

One test detects COVID-19 variants and the other helps to differentiate with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. Technology for both tests uses nucleic acid detection and the cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 system.

The first test, which detects and differentiates between different COVID-19 variants, can be performed without specialized equipment or expertise.

"It allows us to bind a specific sequence of nucleic acid and then resolve it using technology very similar to a home pregnancy test where it gives a visual readout very similar to a home pregnancy test,” said Dr. Mark J. Osborn, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

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Much like an at-home pregnancy test, the next step is to confirm those results. Osborn said that is what the second rapid test does. It’s a more sensitive test that can also determine if someone is sick with other common illnesses like Influenza A and B or respiratory syncytial virus, which is common in babies and the elderly.

"They all have very similar physical symptoms so being able to analyze one sample for all four will add to the diagnostic platform and flexibility,” Osborn said.

Both tests can be done with a saliva sample or nose throat swab. They both take about an hour for results.

Osborn said these tests are not yet approved for the public. That is the next step, which could happen in the next few months. Osborn’s team did submit their work for peer review for publication, which was accepted.