Chad Price’s MAKO Medical Laboratories Detected Omicron Variant in Colorado, Pennsylvania and Maryland

Chad Price’s MAKO Medical Laboratories Detected Omicron Variant in Colorado, Pennsylvania and Maryland

Toward the end of last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified Omicron—or the B.1.1.529 variant of COVID-19—as a mutation of ‘concern’. The experts suggested that the new strain of the virus could spread more easily than previous variants. After a spike in positive cases over in South Africa, the experts launched a series of studies into the transmissibility of the virus and its additional features. Needless to say, identifying cases of this variant globally is the first line of defense when it comes to managing it.

Omicron Variant Identified in the USA

Chad Price’s national reference laboratory and leading COVID-19 testing center has been at the forefront of this battle. Last month, the team at MAKO Medical Laboratories announced that they had identified three cases of Omicron across the United States. The cases were found from samples from Colorado, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the presence of this variant in the samples collected by MAKO Medical Laboratories.

“From the outset of the pandemic, our MAKO Medical team has worked hard to establish a cutting-edge COVID-19 testing and sequencing process that would detect and distinguish variants of concern ahead of the curve,” said Josh Arant, Chief Operating Officer, MAKO Medical. “We hope our ability to expeditiously detect the Omicron variant will aid public health authorities in controlling the spread of the virus. We will continue to work closely with the CDC to monitor any additional emergence of the variant.”

Game-Changing Scientific Partnerships

Early in 2021, MAKO Medical Laboratories teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) to offer the latest in research and virus identification. The comprehensive partnership saw the team provide next-generation sequencing to identify any mutations in the COVID-19 virus samples. Last year, the expert team of researchers analyzed more than 2,500 samples per week and tested each of them. Taking on that high volume meant that they were able to manage samples from more than 40 different states.

The hard work and efforts of the technicians and researchers paid off. Since Chad Price and the MAKO Medical Laboratories team began testing the COVID-19 samples, the experts have identified a wide range of SARS-CoV-2 virus strains. These include the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, B.1.429, B.1.617.2 as well as the latest B.1.1.529 variants. Thanks to the top-of-the-range testing and sequencing services, the team is able to swiftly account for new variants.

It doesn’t end there. MAKO Medical Laboratories has also partnered with Thermo Fisher Scientific. The collaboration allows the team to use high-capacity sequencing platforms to offer the highest possible quality of data. The life sciences company’s polymerase chain reaction (PCR) TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit and TaqPath COVID-19 CE-IVD RT-PCR Kit are not impacted by the Omicron strain. Put simply, that means that this technology can accurately identify the new strain of the virus.

The groundbreaking technology means that Chad Price and the MAKO team can single-out samples that contain the characteristics of Omicron. As Josh Arant explains, this change means that the experts have the power to identify the new variants as quickly as possible. Since this strain may be more transmissible than previous variants, this research is more vital than ever.

“The qPCR assay our MAKO Medical team deploys checks for all three targets in a COVID-19 positive test result, the N gene, S gene, and ORF1ab,” said Josh Arant. “This is important because unlike the delta variant, which produces a signal for all three targets, early indication shows that the omicron variant is unique in that it will only produce a signal for the N gene and the ORF1ab gene. The TaqPath assay can be used as a proxy for the Omicron variant.”

Since the start of 2020, scientists around the globe have been researching COVID-19 variants. As the virus continues to mutate, it is important to stay abreast of the changes and latest strains. By doing this, the experts can start to manage the risk which the virus poses to the global population. Virus containment has been a hot topic over the course of the pandemic alongside vaccine efficacy. It is only thanks to the ongoing work and research of scientists that we can stay ahead of the game and protect people.

MAKO Medical Laboratories is at the forefront of this movement. Back in August 2020, the laboratories scored 100% on CAP COVID Proficiency Testing. The team is committed to offering the highest level of lab results while also furthering coronavirus research.

Chad Price and Mako Medical Laboratories: Pioneering COVID-19 Research

Supported by an expert team of nationally-recognized doctors and PhDs, MAKO Medical Laboratories specializes in methodology development and pathological services. The game-changing testing company and labs prioritize patients by offering transparency.

Back in 2020, the healthcare entrepreneur reacted fast to the COVID-19 outbreak. To facilitate the demand for swift coronavirus testing and researching, he decided to expand the company. He did this in two ways—by employing hundreds of new expert staff members and expanding one of the physical laboratories. The move meant that MAKO Medical Laboratories could handle higher levels of tests and identify new variants.

Since then, the expert team of researchers have been working around the clock to identify new mutations of the novel coronavirus. To date, the team has identified a wide range of mutations including the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and B.1.429 variants. These have been gathered from tests across more than 43 states over the last 18 months. Additionally, the technicians and experts are continuously working to offer groundbreaking research.

Chad Price is the CEO of MAKO Medical Laboratories. He has had a long entrepreneurial career previously co-founding BrideGenie and founding Element Services Group Mechanical LLC. He has played a major role in starting Cary Reconstruction, and is a board member for Trill A.I. Moreover, he currently offers tailored consulting services to companies embarking on new mergers or primed for growth.