Roche has introduced a new sample collection device called cobas plasma separation card for HIV plasma viral load testing.

The new card solution helps to simplify blood collection and sample transportation through providing a small amount of a patient’s blood from a fingertip.

Roche’s new card enables quantitative testing of patients with HIV living in remote areas, including areas of extreme heat and humidity.

It also helps to meet WHO requirements for determining HIV viral load prior to setting treatment.

As part of the Roche Global Access Program, the cobas Plasma Separation Card will be supplied in the countries affected by HIV.

Roche is providing new card solution in countries accepting CE-mark for use with the Cobas AmpliPrep / Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 and cobas 6800/8800 HIV-1 tests.

The new sample collection device is said to meet the WHO sensitivity standard of < 1000 cp/mL.

Based on PCR technology, the cobas 6800 and cobas 8800 systems deliver up to 96 results in less than 3.5 hours and can be used for molecular testing in the areas of viral load monitoring, donor screening, women’s health and microbiology.

Roche Diagnostics CEO Roland Diggelmann said: “With the launch of the cobas Plasma Separation Card, we strengthen Roche’s ongoing commitment to providing life-saving diagnostics in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

“This card will improve access and increase HIV diagnostics scaling up efforts to further the critical work of our many healthcare partners in eradicating the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”