Indian company rolls out RT-PCR kit for monkeypox, test result in 50 minutes

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 26, 2022: Gurugram-based Genes2Me announced that they have developed a RT-PCR testing kit to detect monkeypox virus, which reportedly provides results in just 50 minutes.

 

This kit is available in both the standard version for any commonly available RT-PCR instruments as well as Point-of-Care (PoC) format. The PoC solution can be used for screening at multiple sites, including hospitals, airports, diagnostic labs and health camps.

“Scientists from Genes2Me have been able to develop POX-Q Multiplexed RT-PCR kit for the detection of monkeypox virus along with differentiation from Varicella Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox) in a single tube multiplex reaction format,” the company said in a statement.

Genes2Me is among the first Indian companies to roll out this test kit. Based on Gold standard Taqman chemistry based RT PCR method, it is available for research-use only right now.

The kit is awaiting validation from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and can be introduced in the market only after it gets approved.

“This unprecedented time underscores the importance of diagnostic assays in health security preparedness and readiness. We wanted to be prepared ahead of time for this virus,” said Genes2Me CEO and founder Neeraj Gupta.

For detection of the monkeypox virus, both dry swabs and swabs placed in VTM can be used. The company also claims to be the first ones to introduce RT-Direct as first made-in-India Covid-19 extraction free RT-PCR Kit.

He added, “We have the capacity to manufacture 5 million test kits in a week. However, it can be scaled up to 2 million tests in a day with the added demand.”

Last week, the WHO declared monkeypox as a ‘public health emergency of international concern’. Globally, more than 16,000 cases of the rare infection have been reported over the last seven months in around 68 countries, out of which five people succumbed to the virus.

India has reported four cases of monkeypox so far, of which three have been detected in Kerala and one in Delhi.

Courtesy: India Today