Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced the launch of its Applied Biosystems TrueMark STI Select Panel, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) research use only test designed to detect Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma genitalium in one test, as well as RNase P, included as a human internal control.

Cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis have all increased over the past two years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹. And, with over two and a half million cases estimated in 2021, these diseases show no signs of slowing down. These sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can often have overlapping symptoms or occur as co-infections alongside other STIs, sometimes making identifying them time-consuming. The Applied Biosystems TrueMark STI Select Panel simultaneously tests for the four common STIs on the same panel, helping labs save time that would have been otherwise needed to run each on their own. This panel will enable researchers to detect these sexually transmitted infectious microorganisms faster and with higher accuracy, and help enable understanding of testing regimens and potential treatments in the future.

“STIs are steadily increasing and testing for these pathogens is an important part of understanding how and where these diseases are spreading,” said Dr. Manoj Gandhi, senior medical director of Genetic Testing Solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The TrueMark STI Select Panel helps labs get answers quickly by consolidating four tests into a single assay, empowering them to paint a complete picture of the disease state for their research.”

The test can analyze samples collected from vaginal or genital swabs in one reaction well and is optimized for use with QuantStudio real-time PCR instruments. These samples can also be prepared using workflows that currently exist in most labs that use the Applied Biosystems MagMAX Viral/Pathogen kits automated on a KingFisher Purification System instrument and mixed with the Applied Biosystems multiplex master mix onto a 96-well or 384-well plate. The high specificity and sensitivity panel can be used by researchers to study outbreaks of STIs at a much faster rate, providing results within four hours, whereas other PCR tests for just one target can take over three hours each.

The TrueMark STI Select Panel is sold as a combo kit, which includes the STI panel assay and master mix; positive controls are also included for added accuracy and efficiency.