Labs testing for COVID-19 have been hamstrung by an international shortage of the necessary chemical reagent, according to an article from Extra. Now, a team of scientists from Cork, Ireland, has reportedly devised, manufactured and validated a formula for the chemical lysis buffer, along with a process that will allow production of the critical chemical to be scaled up across the country. Their work will allow testing laboratories to process thousands of swabs on a daily basis, according to the article.
The research team recognized the potential for a crisis due to the chemical’s scarcity and produced the lysis buffer within days, subsequently approaching pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly to secure its production, according to Extra. Instructions detailing the team’s methodology, formula, risk assessment and verification for the chemical’s development have reportedly been made available to scientists around the world.
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