Framingham Company Seeks Volunteers For COVID-19 Antibody Test

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Framingham biotech startup is seeking local volunteers for help with developing a new test to detect antibodies produced in response to a COVID-19 infection.

Kephera Diagnostics needs to test blood from people over age 18 who have been diagnosed with coronavirus recently. The firm's test will detect specific antibodies — a type of blood protein that fights infection — that may be present due to an immune response to COVID-19.

There are already several COVID-19 antibody tests on the market, including one offered by Quest Diagnostics, which operates a major lab in Marlborough.

In an emergency order, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed antibody tests to hit the commercial market, but there are concerns about the accuracy of the tests. In late April, Gov. Charlie Baker questioned the accuracy of the tests.

Kephera says its test will differ from others on the market by being more sensitive.

"Individuals who are asymptomatic or who had symptoms but may not have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are likely to have made antibodies which persist for some time after their infection resolves, and these antibodies can be detected using a sufficiently sensitive and specific antibody test," the company said in a news release. "However, the levels of antibody in COVID-19 patients appear to be low in many cases, making them more challenging to detect, which is why a highly sensitive test is needed."

Find out more about how to volunteer on the Kephera website.