Vincent Lagarde: “We had determined the lines of the viruses and detected variants in the samples”

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Abiolabs’ sequencing results have been mentioned several times during press conferences of the National Communication Committee this week. While Vincent Lagarde, president of the laboratory, had affirmed that during the analyzes carried out by his laboratory, variants had been discovered, Dr Catherine Gaud had denied. What is it really?

It has been said several times that Abiolabs is new to the field of Covid-19 sequencing. Is it true ?
Yes. This is the first time that we have been sequencing the Covid-19. We weren’t allowed to do this before.

The lab was approached for testing, but afterwards it was said that it does not hold the required licenses. What is it?
Let me explain how it works. First of all, one must hold a medical laboratory license. We got it on February 5th. As required by the regulations, it was only with this in hand that we were able, subsequently, to request the authorization of the ministry for the PCR tests and the sequencing of the Covid-19. On February 23, a representative of the ministry, accompanied by that of the WHO, came to audit us and we hope to have this authorization in the coming days.

We were approached by Dr Joomaye to perform emergency tests. For this, we received special authorization from the Ministry of Health to do the sequencing on March 6.

But despite this, the “Memorandum of Understanding” between the authorities and the laboratory has not yet been signed?
I will no longer argue on this point. Let’s just say that when looking for a service, it’s okay to sign a contract between the parties. This has not been done. This will undoubtedly be done when our results are validated.

Let us return to the result of the sequencing. The lab in South Africa contradicted yours. Do you maintain that there are variants?
We do not question the results of the South African laboratory. He is very well equipped and does this type of test on a routine basis. The government was right to send samples in order to know exactly which line and which variant is circulating.

As for us, we had determined the lines of the viruses and the variants in the samples which had been given to us. However, the samples were anonymous and we don’t know if they relate to local cases or cases that were in quarantine before. (Editor’s note: on March 10, Minister Kailesh Jagutpal spoke of samples awarded during the NCC press conference)

Either way, the good news is that apparently this line and these variants are not too aggressive and tolerate vaccination well. The most important thing now is to sequence all the positive cases which arrive in Mauritius during the quarantine in order to anticipate.

Does your sequencer give full results?
Our Sanger sequencer is very reliable for sequencing a specific area of ​​DNA. It works very well for searches for a specific mutation in a gene. But with the technology we have now, we have realized that we need more time and more «primers» to arrive at a complete result.

I want to clarify that we have ordered a device Next Generation Sequencing priced at Rs 2 million. He will arrive next week with the reagents needed for sequencing. This is the same type of device that is used in South Africa and it allows you to sequence an entire genome and get the full results. With this device, the average time to have intercourse varies between three and four days.

If you are called upon again in the future for the mass sequencing of local cases, will the process be just as complex? Will you always have to double check your results?
The goal is of course to be accredited once and for all. Once this step is completed, there will be no need for a cross-check. I take the opportunity to thank the government for the confidence it has placed in our laboratory. Our goal has always been to help our country and elsewhere, when our new machine arrives, we will offer to sequence new samples for free.