The "Chitra Magna" kit uses mangentic nanoparticle tocapture and concentrate the ribonucleic acid (RNA) from thepatient's swab sample and the institute has filed for patentfor this technology which is simpler than imported ones, itsaid.
Barring a few domestic manufacturers, the majority of RNAisolation kits are imported and its non-availability oftenbecomes a severe bottleneck for RT-PCR (Reverse transcriptase-Polymerase chain reaction) testing in large numbers across thecountry, a release from the institute said.
The kit can be deployed for both PCR and Chitra GeneLAMP-N, the much cheaper and faster diagnostic kit developedby it recently, for tests to detect COVID-19 which has claimedover 700 deaths in the country.
Dr Anoop Thekkuveettil and his team, which came up withChitra GeneLAMP-N, has developed Chitra Magna, SCTIMST, anInstitution of National Importance under the Union Departmentof Science and Technology, said. It said the SARS-COV-2, the causative virus of coronaviruspandemic, is a virus that uses RNA, a long single strandedpolymeric substance present in all living cells and carriesthe genetic information of the organism necessary for life.
One of the critical steps in detectingthis virus is byconfirming the presence of the RNA of the virus in the sampletaken from the throat or nose.
In the lab, the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 is extracted, convertedinto DNA and amplified using the PCR technique or LAMPtechnique, the release said. "Chitra Magna" would give a significant advantage in theextraction as even if some viral RNA disintegrates duringstorage and transportation of the samples, all of it iscaptured by the magnetic bead-based extraction technology. The magnetic nanoparticle beads bind to the viral RNA andwhen exposed to a magnetic field, gives a highly purified andconcentrated level of RNA.
As the yield of PCR or LAMP test is dependent on gettingadequatequantity of viral RNA, this innovation enhances thechances of identifying positive cases, the release said. 'Chitra Magna' can be usedto extract high purity RNAfrom patient samples not only for LAMP testing, but also forRT-PCR test, the release said.
The technology of 'Chitra Magna' has been transferred tothe Agappe Diagnostics Ltd at Kochi.
The company has already taken the Chitra GeneLamp foridentification of the N gene of SARS-COV-2, a potentialconfirmatory test with accuracy matching RT-PCR in its initialvalidation at National Institute of Virology by the IndianCouncil of Medical Research.
The test kits are now being validated in larger testsamples for ICMR approval, followed by commercialmanufacturing license from authorities concerned.
Last week, the institute has announced it has developedthe Chitra Gene LAMP-N test kit which is highly confirmatoryfor the diagnosis of COVID-19 using reverse transcriptaseloop-mediated amplification of viral nucleic acid (RT-LAMP).
The test kit which is highly specific for SARS-CoV-2N-gene can detect two regions of the gene which will ensurethat the test does not fail even if one region of the viralgene undergoes mutation during its current spread, it hadsaid adding the ICMR approval for it was awaited. UDVS VS