Molecular diagnostic POCT has become a technology field that has attracted much attention in recent years because it combines the advantages of high sensitivity and accuracy of molecular diagnostics with the features of simple operation, easy portability, short testing time, and no requirements for laboratory environment. Europe and the United States and other developed countries in the molecular diagnostics industry developed earlier, relatively mature, has long occupied a dominant position. China’s molecular diagnostic enterprises started later, but driven by clinical demand, also showed a trend of rapid development, technical performance to reach or even exceed the international advanced level.

Recently, during the academic meeting of Guangdong Provincial Medical Association of Laboratory Medicine, In Vitro Diagnostics Network interviewed Sun Baoqing, director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and Ma Liang, deputy director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine of Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital, and discussed the recent concern about the high incidence of respiratory infections and the clinical application of molecular diagnostic POCT, and other issues.

What are the applications in the field of respiratory tract infection?

Li Guangyu, Founder of In Vitro Diagnostics Network, asked that the incidence of respiratory infectious diseases is high in autumn and winter in China, and in recent times, we often see long queues of checking for respiratory infections in pediatrics, emergency and fever clinics in hospitals.

Molecular diagnostic POCT equipment can produce a report in 20-30 minutes, and has a strong advantage in pathogen detection, “can consider molecular diagnostic POCT equipment in the outpatient emergency room, can better meet the clinical needs.” Director Sun Baoqing suggested.

So, compared with other diagnostic methods, what are the advantages of molecular diagnostic technology? What are the future application scenarios and development trends of molecular diagnostic POCT testing?

Advantages of molecular diagnostic POCT

Speaking of the advantages of molecular diagnostic POCT, Director Ma Liang said that the biggest advantage of this technology is that it can get the results accurately, conveniently and quickly. In comparison, the accuracy of antigen detection is a bit worse, and the viral load of the sample is more demanding.

Although the cost of a single test for molecular diagnostic POCT is generally higher than that of traditional testing methods, the efficiency of the test can shorten the consultation time for patients. “In terms of overall healthcare costs and socioeconomic benefits, molecular diagnostic POCT may be a more cost-effective option.” Director Sun Baoqing said.

The advantages of molecular diagnostic POCT are more prominent during acute infections or epidemics outbreaks, and it is an important guide to improve patient outcomes and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.

Development trend of clinical application

Pathogen nucleic acid molecular diagnostic POCT is mainly used in fever clinics, emergency departments, pediatrics and some specific wards and other scenarios that require strong testing accuracy and timeliness, which can effectively improve the accuracy and turnover of clinical diagnosis, and reduce the waiting time of patients.

Director Ma Liang took us to briefly review the development history of China’s molecular diagnostic POCT, from having a gap of more than ten years with the international leading molecular diagnostic enterprises before the epidemic to catching up after three years of the epidemic, Chinese molecular diagnostic enterprises represented by Cayudi have launched domestic molecular diagnostic POCT products one after another through technology iteration, which not only greatly narrowed the gap, but even realized surpassing in some technical fields.

Director Ma Liang said, “The molecular diagnostic POCT of domestic enterprises adopts intelligent technical means so that it can access the Internet, and the whole information work will be done more fully, and it will be more convenient for clinical testing, including data processing.”

For a long time, primary medical institutions have been in urgent need of improvement in their ability to diagnose infectious diseases, and national policies have been actively promoting hierarchical diagnosis and treatment. What is the scope of application of molecular diagnostic POCT in primary healthcare organizations?

The Importance of Promoting the Application of Molecular Diagnostic POCT in Primary Healthcare Institutions

Although China’s basic public health services have made great progress and improvement, the overall pattern of shortage of medical resources and low level of equipment configuration in primary medical institutions has not yet been changed, and there are still problems such as few functions, low performance, and inapplicability.

Director Sun Baoqing said

“Primary medical institutions also have a greater demand for molecular diagnostic POCT platforms, especially when the investment in equipment is not yet comprehensive, molecular diagnostic POCT has a wide range of application scenarios at the grass-roots level, including bedside, emergency and outpatient clinics, etc., which can better serve patients.”

Lord Ma Liang further stated

Molecular laboratories have a great demand for personnel, space and equipment. For many primary hospitals, they may not have such a large volume of testing to support their establishment of molecular laboratories, in which case it may be a waste to insist on molecular laboratories.

Comparatively speaking, molecular diagnostic POCT may be more suitable for most primary healthcare organizations, said Director Ma Liang, “Molecular diagnostic POCT has a flexible throughput, which can better meet the clinical needs of the grassroots, and it can reduce their investment in laboratories and manpower, and I think that overall the demand for this is very large.”

During the exchange with the two experts, we can clearly feel the rapid development of molecular diagnostic POCT products in China in recent years. Domestic molecular diagnostic enterprises represented by Beijing Cayudi Biologicals, based on technological innovation, product localization and a deep understanding of the needs of primary healthcare, have reversed the disadvantageous situation of domestic brands relative to international brands, and continue to promote the domestic substitution of advanced molecular diagnostic POCT products.

The fully automated molecular diagnostic POCT robotic products launched by Cayudi are able to enhance the medical service capacity and reduce the operation cost from the pain point of primary medical institutions. Its small size and portability, simple operation, instant reporting, and low cost make it more suitable for outpatient clinics, community health service centers, rural township health centers, and other primary healthcare institutions.

Cayudi Bio

China’s molecular diagnostic POCT solution to the world

During this interview, Li Guangyu, the founder of In Vitro Diagnostics, has gained a new knowledge and understanding of the development and status quo of China’s molecular diagnostic industry, and the domestic molecular diagnostic POCT technology has come out of an innovative road that meets the national conditions and benefits the people.

Among them, Cayudi, as a pioneer of molecular diagnostic POCT solutions, has a keen insight into the market changes, as well as a strong technical iterative ability, which makes its molecular diagnostic products truly realize the performance of instantaneous detection (POCT), thus helping precision medicine to be more accurate, fast, convenient and economical, and ultimately benefiting the majority of the population, and contributing to the development of the world’s health care cause of China’s wisdom and China’s solutions.