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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday approved a novel RT-qPCR test kit developed by Chennai-based KRIYA Medical Technologies that can detect influenza...
Digital Desk: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday approved a novel RT-qPCR test kit developed by Chennai-based KRIYA Medical Technologies that can detect influenza (H1N1, H3N2, Yamagata and Victoria sublineages), Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus.
The approval of the KRIVIDA Trivus kit comes at a time when there is a significant increase in these viruses in several parts of the country.
The initial symptoms of the three pathogens are similar, but they vary in how the illness progresses, how readily it spreads, and how it is treated.
The KRIVIDA Trivus successfully differentiates influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus within the shortest TAT (turnaround time), -- cycle time of 27 minutes, and the time required for the result to be read can range between 50-60 minutes. According to the company, this can allow for an instant line of treatment.
The kit can also be used in all the available RT-PCR equipment.
At the National Institute of Virology in Pune, the ICMR assessed the kit using 225 known positive samples and 85 known negative samples. KRIVIDA Trivus has a sensitivity of 99.11 percent and a specificity of 100%.
"Over the last several weeks, we have seen an increase in the number of H3N2 cases, as well as a rise in the number of Covid-19 infections in the country. We need a test that can clearly differentiate between these infections and help doctors create the right treatment plan," said Anu Moturi, CEO and Founder, KRIYA Medical Technologies, in a statement.
"Our product is designed to detect presence or absence of all three pathogens. The conventional RT-PCR kits which detect just the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 should be replaced by KRIVIDA Trivus," added Dr. Shanmuga Priya, Head Of Research and Development, at the company.
"Our kit provides a more meaningful report about not just the presence or absence of these infections but also about coinfections, as these are often severe and they require a syndromic approach in management," Priya said.
The test kit will be produced at KRIYA's cutting-edge manufacturing plant in Chennai's Oragadam. According to the company, the test is reasonably priced and will be commercially available across the country shortly.
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