QIAseq DIRECT SARS-CoV-2 Enhancer

A reagent additive from QIAGEN that supports extraction-free library preparation for tiled-amplicon SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequencing, this Enhancer is formulated to neutralize common PCR inhibitors present in unprocessed saliva and nasopharyngeal swab matrices. By allowing viral RNA targets to be amplified directly from raw clinical specimens, the reagent removes the need for upfront RNA purification and shortens the workflow for surveillance laboratories monitoring viral evolution and emerging lineages.

Combined with the QIAseq DIRECT SARS-CoV-2 primer panel and library chemistry, the Enhancer supports uniform amplicon coverage across the viral genome, including challenging GC-rich spike gene regions, and is compatible with both manual pipetting and automated liquid-handling platforms such as the QIAcube and QIAgility. The product is supplied as a ready-to-use liquid reagent, recommended for storage at -20 °C to preserve activity, and integrates with downstream bioinformatic tools for consensus generation, lineage assignment, and variant calling. Intended for research use only.