Hong Kong Industrialist - Oct 2020

LOCAL DISCOVERY 本地科研 The rapid, automated multiplex diagnostic system is capable of identifying up to 40 respiratory pathogens in one single test. 自動快速診斷系統每次可檢測出多達40種呼吸道病原體。 results are ready within an hour, and the sensitivity is extremely high. It just needs five gene copies in the sample to give a positive result,” explained Prof Lau. B r i ng i ng t he Cos t Down , Enab l i ng Widespread Use There is a diagnostic test in the market that identifies 22 pathogens all at once, but it has not been popular in Hong Kong for its hefty price tag and because the target pathogens are not common in Asia. According to Prof Lau, “Most diagnostics companies in the US and Europe focus on testing for pathogens commonly found in their home countries. Pathogens common there are not necessarily the same ones we find here in Hong Kong. Besides, each test can cost up to several thousand Hong Kong dollars, meaning more comprehensive testing for 40 pathogens would cost even more. Thus, we need a system to identify pathogens which are prevalent in Asia, and we aim at bringing down the cost to around HK$200 to HK$300 per test.” Fully Automated and Time-saving The rapid, automated multiplex diagnostic system is contained in a case not any bigger than an oven. After a multiplex microfluidic cartridge is inserted into the machine, the whole process is automated from there. “The machine automatically extracts and samples the nucleic acid, amplifies the DNA sequences with RT-PCR, 的團隊研發這套便攜式自動快速診斷系統， 目標是同時檢測多達40種呼吸道病毒和病 菌，當中包括甲型流感病毒H1、H2、H3； 禽流感病毒H5、H7、H9；人類呼吸道合胞 病毒、SARS病毒、中東呼吸綜合症和新型 冠狀病毒。檢測速度方面，它能在一小時內 得出結果，而且靈敏度極高，樣本中只要有 五個病原體基因拷貝便可檢測出陽性結果。」 降低成本、普及採用 其實，市面上已有能同時診斷22種病原 體的測試技術，但由於價格高昂，以及目標 病原體在亞洲並不常見，所以在香港一直未 獲廣泛使用。劉教授稱：「大多數歐美醫療 診斷公司只著重檢測當地常見的病原體，但 這些病原體不一定會在香港出現。此外，每 次進行這些測試動輒要付上港幣幾千元，假 如要檢測40種病原體，所需費用之高可想 而知。因此，我們努力鑽研針對亞洲常見病 原體的快速診斷技術，目標是將檢測費用降 至港幣二、三百元左右。」 省時的全自動操作 自動快速診斷系統藏於一個焗爐大小的 外殼中。在操作人員放進載有樣本的多重微 流檢測元件後，系統便會自動完成診斷程 序。「由提取樣本、擴增核酸、混入試劑到 分析數據，整個過程都是完全自動化的。此 系統涵蓋了生物科技、微流體、生產工程方 面最頂尖的技術，是成本效益甚高的病原體 檢測方案。」系統於2018年年底開始在瑪麗 醫院接受初步臨床評估，未來將進行更大型 36 | 10-12/2020