BEVERLY, Mass - Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are a common human pathogen found worldwide that cause a variety of diseases, including viral meningitis, skin infection, genital herpes, and neonatal herpes. Herpes simplex viruses have been categorized into two different serotypes: HSV-1 is generally associated with infections in the tongue, month, lips, pharynx and eyes; whereas HSV-2 is primarily associated with genital and neonatal infections.  Traditional techniques used for the detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in lesions require a viral culture. The cell culture procedure takes a minimum of 16 hours to detect HSV and also requires a cell culture facility.

The IsoAmp® HSV Assay utilizes BioHelix’s proprietary HDA isothermal amplification technology and a self-contained disposable detection cassette for rapid detection of HSV DNA within 1.5 hours obtaining the specimens. The IsoAmp® HSV Assay is currently undergoing a multi-center clinical study in the U.S. to compare its performance with a standard cell culture method. The company expects to complete the clinical study by the end of April.