Bulk Acoustic Wave Technology: A New Player in Point-of-Care Veterinary Diagnostics

ArticleAugust 20213 min readSponsored

Sponsored by Zomedica

A novel diagnostic option has recently been introduced to the veterinary industry, bringing with it levels of performance and reliability that enable practitioners to truly realize the potential for reference laboratory accuracy in point-of-care testing.

This innovative new platform is based on a time-tested technology known as bulk acoustic wave (BAW). Used for decades in industries in which accuracy is essential (eg, telecommunications, aerospace), BAW technology has evolved from powering millions of cell phones around the world to now helping veterinarians confidently diagnose complex thyroid and adrenal conditions.1

The Difference Is the Sensor

What is being detected is not new, but how it is being detected is. Most immunoassay testing platforms use optical technology for analyte detection, and although these methods are generally reliable, they do not always provide accurate, repeatable results, especially when a substance is present at very low levels. Rather than detecting light or color change, the BAW sensor measures shifts in radio frequency that occur as a result of antibody-analyte binding and increasing weight on the sensor surface.2 This change is highly sensitive and can thus be detected at levels <10 pg/mL.

Optimized for Veterinary Use

Zomedica, an animal health diagnostics company, worked in partnership with Qorvo Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of Qorvo, Inc. focused on developing point-of-care diagnostics solutions, to launch TRUFORMA®, an in-clinic biosensor testing platform based on BAW technology. Zomedica has optimized all of its assays for use in veterinary samples and has conducted verification testing, as well as third-party validation studies, to ensure a high level of correlation among results obtained using TRUFORMA and those generated by reference laboratory machines.3

Novel Assays Made Possible by Bulk Acoustic Wave Technology

Until recently, there has not been a feline-optimized thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) assay available that can differentiate true low TSH values from low-normal values, even at reference laboratories. This measurement can help veterinarians in cases when total thyroxine is not diagnostic for hyperthyroidism.4 The availability of BAW technology has enabled Zomedica to introduce the first feline-optimized TSH assay that is run on TRUFORMA and can provide veterinary reference laboratory accuracy across a clinically relevant dynamic range.2 The lower limit for detecting feline TSH with this assay is 0.008 ng/mL,5 and the increased diagnostic sensitivity in this important low range appears to better differentiate hyperthyroid from normal cats.6

Human Medicine Is Not Far Behind

Veterinary medicine is the first medical field to adopt this technology5; however, BAW technology is now being implemented in human medicine.7 Qorvo Biotechnologies recently received an emergency use authorization from the FDA for applying BAW technology to COVID-19 testing in humans.7

Innovation Has Its Perks

Other benefits of the TRUFORMA device with BAW technology include:

  • Simple operation: Blood samples are spun, and serum or plasma is added via pipette into a port on a cartridge that is preloaded with reagents, sealed, and ready for insertion into the analyzer.

  • Fast time to results: Test results for TRUFORMA’s initial assay menu are available in ≈20 minutes.

  • Small footprint: The unit was designed to be compact in size based on the limitations of most veterinary hospital laboratory spaces.

  • Low maintenance: The TRUFORMA unit does not need in-clinic calibration or regular quality-control checks.

  • Expandable platform: Current testing is focused on thyroid and adrenal disorders, with new assays assessing additional disease states now in development.

A Solid Case for Diagnosing Cases

BAW technology has the potential to broaden point-of-care testing as new assays compatible with existing equipment are developed. This is an important evolution within the veterinary industry that is poised to transform the way practitioners diagnose and treat challenging medical conditions in canine and feline patients.