Mawi DNA Technologies Receives 510(k) Clearance for iSWAB-Respiratory Tract Sample Collection Media-Extraction Less for SARS-CoV-2

April 25, 2023 |

2 min read

Mawi DNA Technologies announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for the company’s iSWAB-Respiratory Tract Sample Collection Media-Extraction Less™ (iSWAB-RC-EL).

PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mawi DNA Technologies (Mawi DNA), a biotechnology company focusing on the development and design of innovative technologies for biosampling, announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for the company’s iSWAB-Respiratory Tract Sample Collection Media-Extraction Less™ (iSWAB-RC-EL). The iSWAB-RC-EL collection device is intended for the stabilization and inactivation of human upper respiratory and saliva bio specimens suspected of containing SARS-CoV-2, and can be used for collection, transport, and storage at ambient temperature. Specimens collected in the iSWAB-RC-EL collection device are suitable for use with legally marketed molecular diagnostic tests.

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Mawi DNA developed the iSWAB-RC-EL bio sampling device for surveillance testing of COVID-19 and its variants in any clinical setting. The iSWAB-RC-EL is currently being used worldwide for population-scale sampling to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 spread, and it enables hospital and clinical lab personnel to skip the RNA extraction step in the PCR testing protocol. The biosampling device also offers a non-toxic formulation that inactivates viruses to decrease potential spread and exposure, especially among lab personnel processing these samples.

“Our goal was to respond to current and future pandemics faster by removing the need for RNA extraction and the consumables required to process viral samples, which also has the added effect of increasing testing throughput,” said Dr. Bassam El-Fahmawi, Ph.D., chief executive officer and chief technical officer of Mawi DNA Technologies. “This product was also formulated to be non-toxic and non-hazardous by being free of guanidine salts while inactivating the virus, so our colleagues processing samples can conduct this invaluable service with peace of mind.”

Mawi DNA developed the new iSWAB-RC-EL collection device to address many of the inefficiencies in viral sample collection and transport technologies exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with cold chain transportation requirements and extremely short time frames for viral nucleic acid stabilization. The pandemic also exposed supply chain weaknesses, including shortages of RNA extraction reagents.

The iSWAB-RC-EL collection device is available immediately to hospital and clinical labs. To learn more about the iSWAB-RC-EL collection device or to request a sample, visit https://mawidna.com/request-sample-kit/.

About Mawi DNA Technologies

Mawi DNA Technologies, founded in 2013, has developed and commercialized the iSWAB technology, an innovative system for collection of biosamples. Mawi DNA’s mission is to uphold sample integrity from anywhere in the world at room temperature, enabling true sample diversity across any geography or population segment. At Mawi DNA, The Future of Biosampling is Here™. For more information, visit www.mawidna.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter.