World-leading health organizations sound alarm on endemic cases of the virus in DRC; Contipharma’s rapid in vitro LAMP Mpox test provides critical results within 20 minutes
Contipharma, a pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and marketing of targeted medical solutions, today announces the launch of a LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification) test for Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox).
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orhopoxvirus with two clades (clade I and clade II). It is endemic in Central and West Africa. The disease can be transmitted through physical contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated materials. Symptoms include skin rash or lesions accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. According to the UN, there has been a severe outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the beginning of 2024, resulting in more than 14,000 cases and 51 deaths.
Rapid detection of Mpox virus can help prevent further spread of the disease. Mpox can be confused with other infections and conditions, such as chickenpox, measles, herpes or syphilis. Contipharma’s LAMP screening kit is a rapid in vitro diagnostic test for the detection of the Mpox virus. It can give results within 20 minutes.
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“Our screening kit combines the sensitivity and specificity of a conventional PCR test with the speed of an antigen test, providing a valid result within 20 minutes maximum. The dry version does not require a laboratory visit for authentication and validation,” explains Dr. Hope Sounouvou, Pharm. D, PhD, scientific manager of Contipharma.
Initial evaluations carried out in Europe have demonstrated the performance of LAMP MPox in terms of specificity and sensitivity. An evaluation to confirm these initial results is currently being carried out in the field with the support of the INRB (Institut National de la Recherche Biomédicale) in Kinshasa (DRC).
“LAMP Mpox is the result of two years of research and development with the help of Professor-Doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe of the INRB. It will help to carry out an indispensable, rapid and effective screening in the field with a minimum of laboratory intervention,” explains Bernard Delhez, CEO of Contipharma. “With the Mpox LAMP test, we have developed a product which provides a direct response to the concerns of the DRC’s public health authorities.”
“The Mpox LAMP will be available in a few weeks once the registration phase has been completed,” adds Dr Sounouvou.
According to the CDC since 2023, the DRC has reported the largest number of yearly suspected clade I Mpox cases on record. In 2024, there have been reports of spread to neighbouring countries including the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.
