1 | Test Developer | Centralized lab vs. POC | Upstream processing | Detection & signal amp. | Readout | Time | Cost* | Greatest advantage | Greatest weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | CDC (and other RT-qPCR test developers) | Centralized | RNA purification | RT-qPCR | Fluorometric | 4-6 hrs** | ~$20-30 | FDA-approved, low-cost | Very limited capacity, Labour- & cost- intensive at scale |
3 | Broad Institute (Mega-Lab) | Centralized | RNA extraction | LAMP | DNA seq | 1-2 hrs** | ~$10 | High-throughput, low-cost | Centralized, Not applicable to POC |
4 | Abbott | Centralized | RNA extraction | LAMP | Fluorometric | < 30 min end-to-end | ~$40 | FDA approved, rapid | Centralized, expensive, not yet in production |
5 | Mammoth Biosciences | Centralized/POC (needs upstream sample processing) | RNA purification | RT-LAMP + Cas12 | Lateral flow | 1-2 hrs** | ~$10 | Low-cost, device- independent | Needs RNA purification, limited capacity, not yet validated |
6 | Sherlock Biosciences | Centralized/POC (needs upstream sample processing) | RNA purification | RPA-RT + Cas13 | Lateral flow | 1-2 hrs** | ~$10 | Low-cost, device- independent | Needs RNA purification, limited capacity, not yet validated |
7 | Francis Crick Institute | Centralized | RNA purification | RT-qPCR | Fluorometric | 4-6 hrs** | ~$10 | UK approved. No proprietary bottlenecks. | Labour intensive at scale. |
8 | OpenCell (OpenTrons & Bomb.Bio) | Distributed | RNA purification | RT-qPCR | Fluorometric | 5 hrs (no shipping) | ~$10 | Open source. Distributed containers. Automated. | Not yet in production or approved. |
1 | Upstream sample processing | Relative Cost | Processing workflow | Processing time | Throughput | Proprietary reagents? | Required for? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | RNA purification | High | Multiple steps | > 30 min | Low | Yes, most commercial reagents | RT-qPCR, CRISPR-based |
3 | RNA extraction | Low | Single-step | ~ 2-3 min | High | No | Isothermal amplification |
1 | Technology | Method | Cost | Process | Time to process | Requirements | Sensitivity | Proprietary? | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Lab equipment | Trained personnel | RNA purification | Purified sample | Extracted sample | ||||||
3 | PCR | RT-PCR | Med | Thermocycling | > 30 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | High | low | No |
4 | Isothermal amplification | RT-LAMP | Low | Isothermal | < 10 min | No | No | No | High | High | No |
5 | RPA-RT | Low | Isothermal | < 10 min | No | No | No | High | High | Yes [a] | |
6 | CRISPR- based | Cas12 | High | Isothermal | < 30 min | No | Yes | Yes | High | Low | Yes [b] |
7 | Cas13 | High | Isothermal | < 30 min | No | Yes | Yes | High | Low | Yes [c] | |
1 | Readout | Equipment requirement | Relative Cost per sample | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Colorimetric | No | Low | Low |
3 | Fluorometric | Yes | High | High |
4 | Lateral Flow | No | Low | Medium |
5 | Sequencing | Yes | Low (when pooled) | High |