The World Health Organization, WHO, has finalized a funding agreement for a blood test that can identify and quantify different Covid-19 antibodies. The technology developed by Spain's National Research Council, Csic, can differentiate between antibodies produced by vaccination or generated by natural infection.

In a statement, quoted by UN News, the WHO says this is the first transparent, global, non-exclusive license for a health tool against Covid-19. According to WHO the goal is to facilitate the rapid manufacture and commercialization of the serological test worldwide. The license includes "all related patents and the biological material needed to manufacture the test."

The authorization allows low- and middle-income countries to be exempt from royalties until the expiration date of the last patent."

So far, the technology allows four different tests to be performed, one of which has the potential to distinguish the immune response of infected from vaccinated individuals. Future research will be able to ascertain the level and duration of immunity and the effectiveness of the tools available.

The WHO highlights that the tests are easy to use and suitable for all settings with basic laboratory infrastructure, such as in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries. According to the note, cited by the news agency, interpretation can be done with the naked eye.

The use of a so-called Elisa reader, which searches for antigen-antibody reactions through enzymatic reactions, ensures greater accuracy of the results.

The paper also points out that promising performance data from the European population will need to be supplemented by the companies that will produce this technology if they intend to sell the test in developing countries.

Source UN News