October 22, 2020 8:29:30 am
COVIRAP is a new diagnostic test for Covid-19 from IIT Kharagpur. (Twitter / @ IITKgp)
A new diagnostic test for Covid-19 from IIT Kharagpur, called COVIRAP, may be a potential game changer by bringing high-end molecular diagnostics from the lab to the field. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated the efficacy of the method, IIT-KGP said Wednesday.
How does it work: It has an automated pre-programmable temperature control unit, a special detection unit in genomic analysis, and a custom smartphone app to get results.
Three master mixes function as markers for different genes to confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2, said Professor Suman Chakraborty, dean of sponsored research and industry consulting, IIT Kharagpur. The collected samples react with these mixtures. When the paper strips are dipped into these reaction products, the colored lines indicate the presence of the virus.
Dr Arindam Mondal, Assistant Professor at the School of Biosciences, IIT-KGP, said the technology has undergone rigorous testing protocols as per ICMR guidelines. 📣 Follow Express explained on Telegram
Because is special: Current tests include RT-PCR, which are very accurate but require advanced laboratory infrastructure, and antigen tests that can give results in minutes but are less accurate.
Professor VK Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, said that the COVIRAP process is completed in one hour. The test is performed on a very low cost portable unit that can be handled by unskilled operators outside of the laboratory environment and is an alternative to high-end RTPCR machines. You can test samples even in open fields. The same unit can be used for a large number of tests by replacing the paper cartridge after each test.
The patented machine unit is also very generic, which means that it can test beyond Covid-19: for influenza, malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, tuberculosis, etc., in the category of tests based on isothermal nucleic acids.
COVIRAP AND FELUDA: FELUDA, named after the fictional detective Satyajit Ray as an acronym for FNCAS9 Editor-Limited Uniform Detection Assay, is a test developed by the Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology. This also detects specific SARS-CoV-2 genes, but uses CRISPR-CAS technology.
Also with FELUDA, the need for technical knowledge is minimal. While the current FELUDA prototype requires a PCR machine for processing, COVIRAP uses its own detection technology, patented by IIT-KGP. “There are certain components of the method that are unique to us and different from CRISPRCAS,” said Professor Chakraborty.
Why testing is still important: India has tested 9.72 million rupees through October 20 and has reached the WHO-suggested threshold of 140 tests per million inhabitants per day. While new cases have been declining daily, experts have said the focus should remain on ensuring access to testing in locations in areas where fewer than 140 / million tests are performed per day. The director of IIT-KGP said that “the Institute is open to ties” with companies or startups for technology licensing and commercial production.
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