Malaria remains a major global health threat, with more than 250 million cases and 600,000 deaths in 2024 – over 90% of them in Africa
QIAprep& Plasmodium Kit enables streamlined detection of five malaria-causing parasites for epidemiological research and surveillance
Novel QIAGEN assays support mixed-infection tracking, vaccine impact assessment and malaria control strategies in regions with limited healthcare infrastructure
VENLO, Netherlands, April 01, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced the launch of the QIAprep& Plasmodium Kit and two companion assays to support malaria research and surveillance efforts.
This new solution combines sample preparation and quantitative PCR (qPCR) into a single workflow, providing a rapid and accessible tool for detecting malaria-causing parasites from blood samples.
Malaria remains one of the world’s most pressing public health challenges, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. The disease is caused by five species of Plasmodium parasites, with Plasmodium falciparum responsible for the most severe cases. In 2024 alone, malaria accounted for more than 250 million cases worldwide, with over 90% occurring in Africa.
While the integration of vaccines into anti-malaria programs began in 2024, and mark a significant milestone, comprehensive monitoring of parasite prevalence and evolution is essential for disease control. The QIAprep& Plasmodium Kit simplifies malaria research by enabling the detection of all five Plasmodium species in human samples.
"Malaria research and surveillance remains critical in the fight against this potentially fatal disease, especially as control efforts evolve," said Swathi Kumar, Head of Global PCR, Enzymes & Oligos at QIAGEN. "Our new QIAprep& Plasmodium Kit and assays allow researchers to monitor disease prevalence through high-frequency screening so they can better track the spread of this disease, study vaccine effectiveness and identify emerging dominant parasite strains that may impact treatment and containment strategies."
QIAGEN’s QIAprep& technology – originally developed for COVID-19 research – integrates liquid-based sample preparation with qPCR into a streamlined and cost-efficient workflow. It offers high sensitivity, detecting as little as one parasite per microliter, and is compatible with both liquid and dried blood samples, including QIAcard FTA cards. It is also suitable for use on many qPCR platforms, including QIAGEN’s Rotor-Gene Q.
The accompanying assays further enhance malaria research detection and differentiation. The QIAGEN Pf/Non-Pf Detection Assay is a single-reaction screen for the most common cause of malaria in humans involving Plasmodium falciparum, while the QIAGEN Pv/Pm/Po/Pk Detection Assay helps distinguish between the remaining four common species that cause malaria – P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi – allowing scientists to track mixed infections, study parasite evolution during vaccine rollouts and ensure that comprehensive epidemiological surveillance data is available when designing response measures.
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions, enabling customers to extract and gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our Sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue, and other materials. Assay technologies prepare these biomolecules for analysis while bioinformatics software and knowledge bases can be used to interpret data to find actionable insights. Automation solutions bring these processes together into seamless and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN serves over 500,000 customers globally in Life Sciences (academia, pharma R&D and industrial applications, primarily forensics) and Molecular Diagnostics for clinical healthcare. As of December 31, 2024, QIAGEN employed more than 5,700 people in over 35 locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.qiagen.com.
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