Thermo Fisher Scientific launches new synthetic cannabinoid assays

Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced the launch of two new immunoassays to aid the detection of synthetic cannabinoids in criminal justice and forensic applications.

The Cedia AB-PINACA and Cedia UR-144/XLR11 tests are no-wash immunoassays that utilise Roche's patented Cedia technology, a lyophilised formulation that is easily reconstituted and can run in both qualitative and semi-quantitative modes.

They can be used to screen for synthetic cannabinoids in human urine, and represent an effective means of detecting what has emerged as the largest and fastest growing group of new psychoactive substances on the market.

Sold under brand names including Spice, K2 and Kronic, these drugs act upon the cannabinoid receptors in the body to offer an effect that is between four to 100 times more potent than cannabis, resulting in hospitalisations and fatalities.

Tony Prestigiacomo, senior director of research and development for clinical diagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: "These assays detect a broad spectrum of metabolites and structurally similar compounds, allowing users to get the most out of a single immunoassay screen."

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