This expert panel summary features Dr Nilesh Shah, President and Advisor to the CEO of Metropolis Healthcare, alongside Dr Alap Christy, and Dr Ashish Kumar. Dr Shah recently presented compelling validation data and real-world insights on the HCV Ag-Ab dual assay, benchmarking it against conventional HCV antigen assays. He highlighted his team’s initial challenge with false positives — a hurdle they successfully overcame — while emphasising the assay’s transformative potential. As Dr Shah noted, the HCV Ag-Ab dual assay simplifies diagnostic algorithms by integrating screening, diagnosis, and treatment into one efficient test. Let’s delve into the key takeaways from this discussion.
1. Targeted epitopes: The HCV Ag-Ab dual assay detects the core antigen and NS3/NS4 antibodies, achieving a sensitivity of 99.87% and specificity of 99.94% for precise HCV detection.
2. Early detection gap: Current antibody screenings miss early infections when RNA and core antigen are present, favoring antigen or RNA testing.
3. Immunocompromised challenge: Antibody tests falter in immunocompromised patients, risking missed diagnoses without antigen or RNA assays.
4. Care linkage delay: Antibody positives need RNA follow-up, delaying care and risking patient drop-off.
5. Single-step solution: HCV Ag-Ab dual assay resolves these issues with early detection, accuracy for immunocompromised patients, and rapid results, improving care linkage.
6. Supports strategic alignment: It advances the WHO’s 2030 HCV elimination goal, enhancing clinical and public health outcomes.
7. RNA testing surrogate: With 100% concordance, it’s cost-effective for low- and middle-income groups and delivers 27-minute results, ideal for hemodialysis patients.
8. Population expansion: A two-tier approach first prioritises high-risk groups — immunocompromised, healthcare workers, pregnant women — then envisions universal replacement of traditional HCV tests.
In summary, the experts’ insights and the HCV Ag-Ab dual assay’s capabilities mark a pivotal step toward more equitable, efficient, and effective HCV management worldwide.
