Development of tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19 – COVIDIAG

In order to address the health crisis around the SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is a growing need and demand for diagnostic tools that are complementary and different from the RT-PCR currently in use. Moreover, in view of the worldwide demand for testing, it is important to have new tools and tests produced entirely in France but accessible to the entire medical and scientific community.
We propose to synthesize different surface proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in recombinant form. These recombinant proteins will allow:
(i) The development of serological tests (ELISA) in order to detect specific antibodies directed against SARS-CoV-2 and determine the seroprevalence against this virus in the coming months.
(ii) Immunization of mice for the production of monoclonal antibodies specifically directed against SARS-CoV-2 as a basis for the development of an immunochromatographic test for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples.
(iii) The development by a different strategy (competitive testing) of an immunochromatographic test for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples.
Thanks to our experience in this field, and the complementarity of our teams, we are able to rapidly develop and test these diagnostic tools from the cohort of respiratory and blood samples of positive patients and thus meet a growing medical and public health need.