In 2018, HYCOR introduced the NOVEOS® system with a revolutionary 4μL sample size that effectively eliminated common interferences (CCD and biotin) present in other mainstream allergy diagnostic systems. In 2021, HYCOR has now added to that groundbreaking step forward by introducing the NOVEOS Screen Inhalant mix that makes use molecular allergology to improve clinical strategies for patient care.
Using molecular techniques, more than one thousand molecules from various allergenic sources have been identified, and many others will soon be characterized, enriched, and cloned in the future. To date, more than 100 of these have been used as diagnostic reagents in routine clinical practice[i]. By introducing the NOVEOS Inhalant-Screen, HYCOR becomes the first company to introduce the strength of molecular allergology into well-balance component mixtures for routine allergy testing.
This provides many recognized benefits over poorly standardized and highly variable extract mixtures from other companies including a) increased test sensitivity (“analytical sensitivity”), particularly when important allergens are underrepresented or lacking in extracts; b) improved test selectivity (analytical specificity), particularly when the selected IgE repertoire against an component yields additional information on potential risks, possible cross-reactivity and/or primary (species-specific) sensitization[ii]. Allergen-specific IgE tests utilizing individual allergenic molecules are considered a more precise and informative option, particularly for polysensitized patients when compared to allergenic extracts.
NOVEOS Inhalant-Screen is a simple test that is capable of simultaneously detecting the presence of specific IgE against inhalant allergens that are common in most testing environments. These include some of the major allergenic components like cat, dog, dust mites, grass, and birch. The initial screening with NOVEOS Screen will effectively rule out most non-atopic patients which will translate into a large medical cost savings; then, aided with local epidemiological data, the range of subsequent test panels required on atopic subjects will be greatly reduced.
[i]Molecular Allergology User’s guide. Eds: Matricardi, Kleine-Tebbe, Hoffmann, Valenta and Ollert. European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2016 [ii] Kleine-Tebbe J, Jakob T. Molecular allergy diagnostics using IgE singleplex determinations: methodological and practical consideration for use in clinical routine – Part 18 of the Series Molecular Allergology. Allergo J Int 2015;24:185–197.