IIT Delhi launches a Rs. 50 rapid and accurate diagnostic kit for Covid 19

Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Education, Communications, Electronics & IT, Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched the Rapid Antigen Test Kit for Covid-19 developed at IIT Delhi. Developed by Professors Harpal Singh and Dinesh Kumar from the Center of Biomedical Engineering (CBME), the antigen based rapid test ticket will make CoViD diagnostics easy and affordable in rural areas.

The kit provides results that are qualitative and can be inferred visually with a naked eye. Test results take less than 5 min and the  kits can be stored at room temperature making it highly suited for rural areas. IIT Delhi has licensed the technology to 2 companies one of which has launched the rapid antigen test at rupees 50 per test.

The salient features of the kit which has been certified by ICMR are as follows.

1. The kit is used for in vitro qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen.
2. The SARS-CoV-2 Ag Rapid Test is a colloidal gold enhanced double antibody sandwich immunoassay for the qualitative determination of SARS-CoV-2 antigen in human nasal swabs, throat swabs and deep sputum samples. It is suitable for general population screening and diagnosis of COVID-19.
3. The invention is directed towards an in vitro diagnostic kit for qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus antigens in nasopharyngeal swab, using the rapid immune chromatographic method.
4. The identification is based on the monoclonal antibodies specific for the Coronavirus antigen.
5. The results obtained are qualitative based and can be inferred visually with naked eye.
6. A SARS-CoV-2 positive specimen produces a distinct color band in the test region, formed by the specific antibody antigen colored conjugate complex”(Au-SARS-CoV-2-Ab)-(SARS-CoV-2-Ag)-(SARS-CoV-2-Ab)”. Absence of this colored band in the test region suggests a negative result.
7. A colored band always appears in the control region serving as procedural control regardless of the specimen contains SARS-CoV-2 or not.
8. Test is found to be suitable for early Ct values (Ct values between 14 to 32) with a Sensitivity- 90%, Specificity- 100% and Accuracy- 98.99%, and certified by the ICMR. These are the one of the best available values for any such test kits.
9. The technology and its manufacturing are 100% indigenous.

In July 2020, IIT Delhi disrupted the RT PCR market with a Rs. 399 probe-free RT PCR kit launched. Over 8 million high quality PPE kits are supplied so far, using the technology developed at IIT Delhi.