Sterling Pathology National Laboratories Integrates Innovative Workflow to Strengthen National Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

SEAL BEACH, Calif., December 23, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Sterling Pathology National Laboratories announced the implementation of an integrated workflow from BGI/MGI for automating COVID-19 testing. The workflow includes BGI's Real time fluorescent RT-PCR kit for SARS-CoV-2 detection as well as MGI's MGISTP-7000, MGISP-960 and viral RNA extraction kit, bringing rapid, accurate testing capabilities on a massive scale in our state-of-the-art CLIA-certified laboratory. 

The RT-PCR kit has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from FDA for testing on commonly used real-time PCR machines and has shown to outperform in clinical sensitivity. Most recent in silico and functional analysis has also revealed that the mutation in the UK variant B.1.1.7 does not impact the kit performance in SARS-CoV-2 detection. In addition, the MGISP-960 based viral RNA extraction is validated and included in the EUA of RT-PCR kit.

The MGISTP-7000 and MGISP-960 are fully automated sample transfer and extraction workstations widely used in Covid-19 testing labs. The MGISTP-7000 system automates sample transfer from the tubes containing swabs under very safe conditions to MSGIP-960 system which extracts and prepares samples for RT-PCR test. Sample tube de capping, accessioning, sample transfer, capping and archiving are all integrated in MGISTP-7000 system. It is an efficient and widely used automated sample preparation system. 

Sterling Pathology, based in Seal Beach, CA, will begin processing clinical COVID-19 samples to support public health efforts over the coming weeks, with a near-term goal of performing an additional 7,000 tests per day to our current run of 500-1,000 tests per day, with a laboratory turnaround time of 24 hours.

Sterling Pathology's COVID-19 testing platform connects supply to demand through integrated software to manage test ordering, results delivery, and public health agency case reporting. The software also allows for rapid deployment of onsite or pop-up collection centers, as well as event contract work with national corporations.

Sterling Pathology processes COVID-19 samples collected under the oversight of qualified healthcare professionals, and operates under current FDA-approved protocols and guidelines. For the latest information on Sterling Pathology's efforts to strengthen the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://www.sterlingpath.com.

According to Michael Okuniewski, Vice President, "We are committed to leading the way in clinical diagnostics and partnering with healthcare providers to help Americans identify and mitigate any risks to their health, protect their families, and halt the advancement of this newly discovered disease."

About Sterling Pathology National Laboratories:

Sterling Pathology National Laboratories is a CLIA-certified, College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited esoteric laboratory specializing in high-complexity, state-of-the-art, automated, high throughput, histopathology, esoteric clinical pathology and DNA-based molecular analyses. Using unique molecular techniques, Sterling Pathology National Laboratories provides clinicians from many specialties with valuable information to assist in the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of cancer and cancer-related disease.

To find out more, please visit www.sterlingpath.com.

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Source: Sterling Pathology