Todos Medical, Ltd. (OTCQB: TOMDF), a comprehensive medical diagnostics and related solutions company, today announced that its CLIA/CAP-certified laboratory Provista Diagnostics has initiated a validation plan for PCR-based MonkeyPox testing. Under the plan, the Company is validating multiple PCR assays for MonkeyPox and will launch the most sensitive for lesion-based and saliva-based sample collections. While lesion-based testing is the current standard of care according to CDC guidelines, saliva-based sample collection is currently undergoing intense research that could open up the potential for testing of asymptomatic or very early-stage patients at high risk of severe disease (such as immunocompromised patients) that could result in earlier diagnosis and early intervention with therapeutic drugs such as Tecovirimat (TPOXX). TPOXX is an investigational drug candidate, and currently only available under an expanded access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) protocol. The MonkeyPox tests are being developed as Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs). A recent peer-reviewed article describing strong correlation of the sensitivity of lesion and saliva-based PCR testing was recently published in the journal Eurosurveillance: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.28.2200503
“The significant investment we made to automate PCR testing at Provista to maximize COVID testing capacity can now be partially redeployed towards MonkeyPox as we prepare to help the nation scale-up MonkeyPox testing capacity to meet the emerging public health crisis,” said Gerald E. Commissiong, President & CEO of Todos Medical.
About Todos Medical Ltd.
Founded in Rehovot, Israel with offices in New York City, Todos Medical Ltd. (OTCQB: TOMDF) engineers life-saving diagnostic solutions for the early detection of a variety of cancers. The Company’s state-of-the-art and patented Todos Biochemical Infrared Analyses (TBIA) is a proprietary cancer-screening technology using peripheral blood analysis that examines cancer’s influence on the immune system, looking for biochemical changes in blood mononuclear cells and plasma. Todos’ two internally developed cancer-screening tests, TMB-1 and TMB-2 have received a CE mark in Europe. Todos recently acquired U.S.-based medical diagnostics company Provista Diagnostics, Inc. to gain rights to its Alpharetta, Georgia-based CLIA/CAP certified lab currently performing PCR COVID testing, Long COVID Panel, and Provista’s proprietary commercial-stage Videssa® breast cancer blood test.
Todos is also developing blood tests for the early detection of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (LymPro Test™) is a diagnostic blood test that determines the ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and monocytes to withstand an exogenous mitogenic stimulation that induces them to enter the cell cycle. It is believed that certain diseases, most notably Alzheimer’s disease, are the result of compromised cellular machinery that leads to aberrant cell cycle re-entry by neurons, which then leads to apoptosis. LymPro is unique in the use of peripheral blood lymphocytes as a surrogate for neuronal cell function, suggesting a common relationship between PBLs and neurons in the brain.
Todos formed the Israeli-based majority-owned joint venture 3CL Pharma, Ltd with NLC Pharma in March of 2022 to consolidate all of the intellectual property pursuing the development of diagnostic tests targeting the 3CL protease, as well as 3CL protease inhibitor botanical and pharmaceutical products that target a fundamental reproductive mechanism of coronaviruses. 3CL Pharma, through Todos’ brand, has commercialized the 3CL protease inhibitor immune support dietary supplement Tollovid® in the United States, is developing the dual mechanism 3CL protease inhibitor & anti-cytokine therapeutic drug candidate Tollovir®, while also developing the 3CL protease inhibitor diagnostic TolloTest™.