Table 3.
Characteristics of Three Sample-to-Answer Molecular SARS-CoV-2 Assays
| Characteristics | BioFire Diagnostics Panel | Cobas Liat System | Cepheid Xpert Xpress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | BioMérieux | Roche | Cepheid |
| Sample type(s) | NP, NSa | NP, NS | NP, NS |
| Sample volume required (μL) | 300 | 200 | 300 |
| Detection assay | BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 (RP2.1) | Cobas Influenza A/B & SARS-CoV-2 | Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV |
| Limit of detection (copies/mL) | 250 | 250 | 250 |
| Assay Detection time | ~45 min/sample | ~20 min/sample | ~42 min/sample |
| Maximum throughout | 1 per instrument | 1 per instrument | 2 per instrumentb |
| Hands-on time per sample | 2 min | 1 min | 2 min |
| Result interpretation | Automated | Automated | Automated |
| RNA extraction required | No | No | No |
| Running cost (per assay) | 135–150 U.S.D | 50–75 U.S.D | 50–75 U.S.D |
| Instrument dimensions (H,W,L) | 16.5cm, 25.4cm, 39.3cm | 19cm, 11.5cm, 24.1cm | 30.5cm, 16.1cm, 29.7cmb |
Note:bGX-II-2 module instrument.
aAbbreviations: NP, nasopharyngeal swab; NS, nasal swab; H, height; W, width; L, length.