While experts emphasize the need to increase testing at high rates, the Tata group has become the first in the country to launch a groundbreaking COVID test, which uses novel CRISPR technology to work.
The new test reportedly works to deliver results in as little as 30 minutes. This is what we know so far:
Regular COVID tests take longer to show diagnostic results, which could lead to delays and delays. In order to shorten diagnosis time, the new test works to detect viral load in the shortest time.
The high-quality test has been developed by the Tata group in collaboration with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in recent months.
Named ‘Feluda’, the new COVID test has received the go-ahead from the Comptroller General of Drugs of India (DGCI) for commercial launch. Early reports suggest that the test will be inexpensively priced, costing around Rs. 500. Other COVID-19 tests are priced between Rs. 1000-3000 right now.
A COVID test that could give results in 30 minutes?
An official report says that the test uses CRISPR technology, which will be India’s first launch at the diagnostic level.
CRISPR, which refers to “regularly interspaced clustered short palindromic repeats” is a gene editing technology used to diagnose disease.
CRISPR technology works by editing the sequence of genes, thus correcting defaults using an enzyme that works to eliminate errors. Using this technology, scientists can identify and observe DNA sequences and detect other fatal pathogens that can pose problems for the human body.
CRISPR technology, in the past, has also been used in recent years by scientists in the detection and treatment of HIV in experimental studies.
As for Feluda, the test garnered rapid approvals after high-level officials noted excessively high success rates in the diagnostic tool, with more than 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity in detecting the new viral load. coronavirus, considered the gold standard for COVID Diagnosis.
Feluda serves as an acronym for Uniform Screening Assay linked by publisher FNCAS9. It is also considered a tribute to the acclaimed fictional character of Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray with the same name.
How is FELUDA better than other COVID tests?
The test gains an edge over other tests on the market in two ways: One, it is an affordable priced paper test strip and delivers results in a short period of time. It has a faster response time, compared to other prospective tests, and requires less specific equipment and medical knowledge to function.
Debojyoti Chakraborty and Souvik Maiti are two of the main researchers involved in the development of the homegrown test kit.
The test is also one of the first of its kind to use a special Cas9 protein to detect the virus in the world. The Cas9 protein will be used to interfere with the COVID that causes the genetic sequence of the SARS-COV-2 virus. Once this is done, the new gene sequence will be tested in the kit that will determine whether a given sample is negative or positive for the COVID virus.
Like a pregnancy screening test, the experimental COVID test will change color on the test, if a positive diagnosis is identified. You will have two lines in the kit: a control and a test line to intercept the results.
The benefits of using CRISPR technology were first seen by the team when they were working on the development of a genome diagnostic test for sickle cell anemia.
However, this is not the only time that scientists have used CRISPR technology to develop a COVID test kit. One of the first tests of its kind received emergency clearance from US government officials in May. The CRISPR-based COVID test was jointly developed by scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.
In addition to this exciting progress, Indian scientists, in collaboration with their Israeli counterparts, are also working on the development of an artificial intelligence-backed chemical “breathalyzer” test that could help detect the trace of COVID through the mouth. With an accuracy rate of 85%, the test could give results in as little as 30 seconds.
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