Advanced Donor Screening: Roche Introduces cobas MPX-E for Multiple Pathogens
Published: 01 Apr 2026
Author: Precedence Research
Roche launched the Cobas MPX-E assay in March 2026. This is an advanced testing solution that helps in the detection of pathogens to enable laboratories to streamline their operations by enhancing the safety of blood and blood products for patients. It provides enhanced turnaround times and allows labs to implement testing of various enteric diseases, such as Hepatitis E (HEV) screening, without the use of additional equipment.
Cobas MPX-E Assay: Transforming the Enteric Disease Testing Industry
The assay delivers flexible testing options by allowing laboratories to test for all four targets or select single targets based on their specific diagnosis requirements. The ready-to-load reagents and automation provide around eight hours of walk-away time, which enables laboratory staff to free up and perform other critical tasks.
Matt Sause, the CEO of Roche Diagnostics, made an announcement stating that, “Safe, timely access to blood products is a cornerstone of modern healthcare. With the launch of the Cobas MPX-E test, we will help ensure that patients receive the safe blood products they need by providing a fully integrated solution that includes the most critical viral pathogens and improves lab efficiency.”
According to Precedence Research, the enteric disease testing market size was calculated at USD 4.30 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 4.58 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 8.09 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.52% from 2026 to 2035 as the cases of hepatitis E have increased globally.
What is the Significance of this Assay?
The cobas MPX-E assay is developed to meet the surging needs of modern laboratories through enhanced sensitivity and specificity, helping to protect from HEV transmission through blood transfusions. This new assay delivers a significant advancement in donor screening by enhancing the detection of four major viral targets in an efficient workflow.
In addition, this new test features dual-target detection for HIV-1 group M by targeting two specific regions of the viral genome to enhance sensitivity and ensure reliable results in the presence of mutations. This assay is based on the fully automated Cobas x800 systems (cobas 6800/8800 and cobas 5800), which are used by laboratories globally to perform more than 10 million enteric disease tests every month.
A recent report by Precedence Research highlights that the enteric disease testing market is rapidly gaining traction due to the rapid focus of the laboratories to adopt fully automated assays for lowering diagnosis time.