Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has developed a low-cost diagnostic test kit to detect COVID-19 virus called ‘Chitra Gene LAMP-N’. This cheap and fast kit can be a major breakthrough.
The test kit uses reverse transe loop-mediated amplification of viral nucleic acid or RT-LAMP technique to detect the N-Gene of the coronavirus.
All over the world, the new COVID-19 test kit is one of the first few confirmatory diagnostic tests for N-gene of COVID-19 virus which uses the RT-LAMP technique.
Chitra Gene LAMP-N: Key Highlights
- The Chitra gene LAMP-N test is highly specific. It can detect two regions of a gene, even if one region of the gene is mutated during its current transmission, it can also ensure that the test is successful.
- The new test kit is cheaper and faster to work with.
- According to the research institute, the kit uses only 10 minutes to detect the virus and the sample to result time is less than two hours.
- In addition, at least 30 samples can be tested in a single batch in one machine.
- The cost of the test equipment currently used to detect COVID-19 is between Rs 15-45 lakh, while the cost of the new test kit is only Rs 2.5 lakh.
- In addition, it currently costs about Rs 2500 per test, while the newly developed kit costs only Rs 1000 per test.
- The institute also developed RNA extraction kits and Gene LAMP-N test kits.
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