An HIV test developed by Abbott can detect HIV antigens before viral antibodies are present, meaning that it can detect HIV sooner compared with tests currently on the market. According to research on the assay, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, the test can effectively detect HIV from zero to nine days following infection.

“The ability to use a blood test to diagnose HIV sooner, in the acute phase of the disease where antibodies are not yet present, presents an exciting opportunity in the fight against HIV,” said Gerald Schochetman, PhD, senior director of infectious diseases, research and development for Abbott Diagnostics. “This data is very promising, and we are excited about the clinical potential of this assay to help detect HIV earlier.”

The Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Combo (Ag/Ab) assay was launched in Europe in 2004 and is not yet available in the United States, but the pharmaceutical company—which developed the first HIV test in 1985—plans to submit a pre-market approval application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this year.