Through hard work and close collaboration with the San Paolo Hospital in Milan, our partner Copan has designed and released a brand new saliva collection device – LolliSponge™.
Why would the biggest producer of nasopharyngeal swabs release a new saliva-collection product?
The answer is simple: while nasopharyngeal swabs remain the gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 detection, salivary collection can be an attractive alternative for a number of reasons. As we get used to living with covid-19, active surveillance testing within our communities will be essential to prevent the spread of the virus. However, some people find the swabbing procedure an uncomfortable and invasive one, which can directly impact the likelihood of ongoing routine testing by the public. Additionally, swabbing may not always be feasible, for example with fragile or non-collaborative patients such as children, the elderly, or people with disabilities.
LolliSponge™ offers many advantages, from the easiness of collection to trouble-free transport and easy lab processing.
The lemon-aromatized cap is a unique feature of LolliSponge™. It provides two advantages: it stimulates salivary glands to produce saliva, reducing the time required to collect the proper amount of saliva, and makes the collection more pleasant for kids – Almost like… enjoying a Lollipop!
Features and Benefits
- Easy sampling without spitting-related issues – A non-invasive device that can be used to collect saliva from fragile or non-collaborative individuals.
- Easy storage and shipping – Liquid-free, dry device and compact tube for smooth shipping and transport.
- Easy, safe, and rapid workflow – Standard tube compatible with standard bench centrifuges. Saliva samples can be mixed directly with molecular biology reagents without any inhibition or interference issue.
- Enables active surveillance programs – Suitable for self-collection, LolliSponge™ opens up mass screening opportunities even where professional help is not available.
With the adoption of LolliSponge™, we hope to enable and encourage Covid-19 active surveillance programs within our communities and drive health care professionals to other essential tasks such as vaccine administration.
Check out the video below to see how the idea of LolliSponge™ became a reality!
For additional information on LolliSponge™ view the product here or get in touch with our product specialist below.
