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New COVID-19 Antibody Testing Unlocks More Results for Sonora Quest Patients

Monday, March 22, 2021   |   Category: Press Releases

Sonora Quest Laboratories launches new Semi-Quantitative COVID-19 antibody testing

PHOENIX (March 22, 2021) -- Sonora Quest, Arizona’s leading diagnostic laboratory, announced today they will be offering a new Semi-Quantitative COVID-19 antibody test that can provide even more information to patients and their healthcare providers about immune response to COVID-19.

While the previously performed Qualitative COVID-19 antibody testing can determine the presence of antibodies with a “reactive” or “nonreactive” (i.e., positive or negative) reading, it does not convey the quantity of antibodies present. The new Semi-Quantitative antibody testing offered by Sonora Quest will be able to determine whether or not antibodies are present as well as additional insight into the patient’s potential immune response to infection or vaccination by providing a numerical value to a patient’s antibody presence.

“This test will provide additional insight of one’s immune response either through natural infection or via vaccination,” said Dr. Brian Mochon, Sonora Quest’s Scientific Medical Director of Infectious Diseases Division and Clinical Research Program. “While this test can benefit everyone, providers as well as patients who are immunosuppressed or at-risk for severe diseases will especially benefit from the added information.”

As studies continue to try to determine the level of antibodies needed to produce and maintain immunity to COVID-19, any increases or decreases in the quantity of antibodies present can be monitored over time with Sonora Quest’s Semi-Quantitative test.

“We are united in understanding and finding answers to this devastating virus that has led to more than 500,000 American deaths,” said Sonya Engle, Sonora Quest’s Chief Operating Officer “Adding this test to our toolbox helps us learn more about COVID-19 and our immune response to help us make better decisions about how to slow and stop the spread.”

Sonora Quest’s Semi-Quantitative COVID-19 antibody testing can be ordered by a healthcare provider, a patient through My Lab ReQuest, or an employer can provide testing for their employees through Sonora Quest’s Employer Solutions Portfolio. The cost for this test is covered by insurance if ordered by a health care provider or $99 if self-ordered.



About Sonora Quest Laboratories
Sonora Quest Laboratories, a joint venture between Banner Health and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), is part of the nation’s largest integrated laboratory system with approximately 3,500 employees serving more than 28,000 patients every day throughout Arizona. Sonora Quest Laboratories is the market share leader in clinical laboratory testing in Arizona, performing more than 85 million diagnostic tests per year. Sonora Quest Laboratories offers a local comprehensive test menu which encompasses routine, molecular, prescription drug monitoring, genetic/genomic, women’s health and pathology testing services. My Lab ReQuest™ provides consumers direct access to a diverse range of affordable screening tests that can be ordered online at SonoraQuest.com or in any of Sonora Quest’s 75 patient service centers across Arizona. Ninety-five percent of all testing is performed at the primary testing facilities located in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott and Yuma. Sonora Quest Laboratories is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), which is the gold standard in laboratory accreditation, helping laboratories to maintain accuracy of test results and ensure accurate patient diagnosis. This accreditation ensures the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients as CAP inspectors examine laboratory staff.