LONDON: Integumen Plc has signed a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with the Aptamer Group Limited to develop and manufacture aptamers to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

The aptamers have the potential to play a key role in the real-time identification of localised COVID-19 hotspots in wastewater, from which authorities can be alerted through Integumen’s real-time alert system to prevent the spread of the disease to the wider community.

The MTA formalises Integumen’s access to Aptamer Group’s raw materials for coating aptamers on silicon wafer surfaces at nano-scale.  Integumen will provide the Aptamer Group with access to its UK Sand Hutton manufacturing facilities, which specialises in laboratory grown human skin equivalents specifically designed to host bacteria, virus and fungi.

A pilot batch of the aptamers will be tested on Integumen’s SARS-CoV-2 model virus.  Once initial testing is complete in two months, validation on the real SARS-CoV-2 virus will be carried out at the containment level 3 (CL3) laboratory in the University of Aberdeen.

Gerard Brandon CEO Integumen plc  commented: “Integumen’s business model is built on collaborating and cooperating with partners such as the Aptamer Group who have technologies that deliver solutions to major societal problems like COVID-19.  Surveillance and testing of waterways for the presence of bacteria and viruses has recently gained recognition as an important step in identification of COVID-191.  This collaboration is yet another example of the diagnostics industry working together to rapidly bring effective solutions in the fight against this global pandemic.”

Dr Arron Tolley, CEO of Aptamer Group Ltd. commented: “We are delighted to be working with the Integumen team to transfer developments over the past few weeks by our team in delivering Aptamers that capture the SARS-CoV-2 virus into a real-time wastewater detection solution.  The World Health Authority provides guidance on the prevention of COVID19 via wastewater2and we are excited to be able to play a role in the prevention of the spread of the disease .”