BioGenex Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, a Hyderabad based the USA headquartered company developed a RT-PCR kit for Covid-19 diagnosis, which detects COVID 19 caused by SARS COV 2 variants including “OMICRON” plus other variants. The kit detects Omicron without RNA extraction in half the time than standard PCR DR . Krishan Kalra, CEO of the company in a press note issued in Hyderabad today. The product is launched nationally at Hyderabad now, he added.
The National Institute of Biologicals(NIB), Noida, an ICMR designated lab, examined the performance of this kit and found that it performed with 100% accuracy &100% sensitivity which means no false negatives or positives, which will significantly control the pandemic through accurate diagnosis. The kit detects the Omicron variant in half the time than the standard RT-PCR tests.
The National Institute of Biologicals is an APEX autonomous Institute under the administrative control of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India engaged in Quality Control Evaluation of various biological products like vaccines, blood products, blood reagents, sera, Immuno-diagnostic kits etc. produced and imported into India.
The cost of the kit is Rs 150 plus taxes.
The TRIPLEX COVID-19 RT-PCR Direct is a real-time RT-PCR test intended for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 directly from the upper respiratory swab, nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs, collected in preservative media, (VTM/UTM), pH 7.2-7.4 to provide the molecular diagnostic basis for infected patients.
Due high sensitivity with specially protocol test analyses samples in VTM directly without the need for RNA extraction step. It helps scientists for rapid tracking of disease prevalence and aid in treatment insight (e.g. hospital beds, oxygen ventilators and expensive medications) for healthcare systems in making appropriate measures to combat COVID-19.
There are many challenges associated with ramping up testing capacity, due to supply chain delays and shortage of extraction reagents, this situation call-up for alternative protocols to ensure the continuity of testing in laboratories. Due to an increased demand in SARS-CoV-2 variants screenings, alternative protocol with similar sensitivity is required, said DR. Krishan Kalra, CEO BioGenex. “Sustained surveillance is essential for public health. Our latest tests reduce the cost of testing and turnaround time for the result.
As we learn from the pandemic, we are partnering with concerned organizations to understand and strengthen our diagnostic portfolio to develop-deliver reliable and sustainable diagnostic solutions in the future to help control the spread of Covid-19
