ICMR okays new RT-PCR kit with ‘high accuracy’

NEW DELHI: Using a gene that is least likely to mutate, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Kerala has developed a new RT-PCR kit that it says has a higher accuracy in detecting Covid-19.

The kit has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for use.

When tested at the National Institute of Virology-Pune, it was found to be 97.3% sensitive and 100% specific, meaning it is unlikely to throw up any false positives and has only a 2.7% chance of showing a false negative. SCTIMST has already signed a non-exclusive license deal with biotech company Huwel Lifesciences for scaling up production.

The test developed by SCTIMST uses probes against RdRp and ORFb-nsp14 genes of Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. According to researchers from the institute, “various studies have shown that RdRp and ORF1b-nsp14 genes are more sensitive in detecting Covid-19”.