NEW YORK — RNA Disease Diagnostics said on Tuesday that it has licensed an RNA-based lateral flow assay technology that it will use to develop at-home molecular SARS-CoV-2 and influenza test kits.
The technology was licensed from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. According to the company, it does not require nucleic acid amplification or isolation and can detect SARS-CoV-2 as effectively as PCR-based testing.
Terms of the licensing agreement were not disclosed.
In addition to using the technology for COVID-19 and influenza assays, RNA Disease Diagnostics said it also aims to develop a multiplex test that can detect both viruses.
Earlier this year, Baltimore-based RNA Disease Diagnostics licensed an electrochemical sensor technology from UMB and UMBC that it is using to develop point-of-care tests including one for SARS-CoV-2.