The laboratories of the MAScIR Foundation. Credit: MAP
The MAScIR Foundation under the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) announced, Friday, the development and clinical validation of its new UM6P-MAScIR Mpox qPCR diagnostic kit, in order to respond to the epidemic outbreak of the new variant of the Mpox virus , which is rampant in Africa.
This infectious disease experienced alarming developments at the start of summer, noted by an increase in cases and a spread to more than 15 countries on the continent, indicates a press release from the MAScIR Foundation.
As of September 13, 2024, more than 26,544 cases of Mpox have been reported, including 5,735 confirmed and 724 deaths, according to the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), notes the same source, noting that the virus has also been declared in several countries outside the African continent, notably in Asia and a confirmed case in Europe.
The lack of available diagnostic tests contributes to the spread of the virus, the press release explains.
In this context marked by the alarming evolution of the Mpox virus (formerly “Monkeypox” or “monkey pox”), the lack of available diagnostic tests, and by capitalizing on its expertise, the center of diagnostic kits and medical devices of the MAScIR foundation, based in Benguérir on the UM6P campus, was able to develop a molecular diagnostic kit based on the qPCR method, underlines the document.
And to continue that this test makes it possible to diagnose the Mpox virus according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The trust of local authorities, in particular the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy and the Institut Pasteur Maroc, but also of African health authorities – Africa CDC –, has led to an important synergy , leading to the success of the clinical validation of this new diagnostic kit, welcomes the MAScIR Foundation.
The expert researchers from the UM6P-MAScIR team were able to travel to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, within the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), in order to continue the final stage of performance validation. claimed by this test.
Thus, the results obtained confirm 100% concordance with the reference kit, as well as 100% clinical sensitivity and specificity.
The INRB, through its director, Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, attests to the robustness and quality of the kit and validates its use as a routine test within diagnostic laboratories.
Indeed, the UM6P-MAScIR Mpox qPCR kit is now registered with the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy (DMP), reports the same source.
UM6P-MAScIR will continue to support all efforts to make this diagnostic kit available on the market, through local production via its subsidiary Moldiag, with priority for the Kingdom of Morocco and Africa, confirming its mission of supporting the health sovereignty of the continent, concludes the press release.
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