ICMR approved QRx 'Saral Test' RT-Lamp Kit offers accurate COVID report in 30 minutes
By: Pallab Ghosh
Radiance News Service
“The new ‘Saral Test’ kit will give positive and fast results”, were the words of Dhananjai Joshi, Founder Director, QRX. He was speaking at the launching of the SARS CoV-2 RT-Lamp Kit that has received approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This will help people to have instant results, unlike the conventional RT-PCR Test that takes a lot of time. The Saral Test has come like a rescue for those who get stranded at the airport waiting for the RT-PCR test results on arriving from outside India in wake of the travel advisory issued by the Indian government to deal with the Omicron variant. “The new Saral Test kit is accurate and ultra-fast and can fight with the Omicron variant”, added Joshi who claimed the new kit is more cost-efficient as compared to the existing alternatives.
The ‘Saral Test’ kit was formally launched by unveiling the product by Shabnam Singh, Chairman of Yuvraj Singh Group of Companies and YOUWECAN Foundation. “We have been associated with Lamp Test precuts for Cancer predominantly but seeing the situation COVID has created and new variants coming, we planned work in this perspective also”, said Shabnam Singh.
Salient features of ‘Saral Test’ at a glance:
· Specific detection of N-gene and ORF 1ab of SARS-CoV2 viral genome.
· The ‘Saral Test’ kit includes human 18srRNA which serves as an internal control.
· RNA extraction is not required in Direct RT-LAMP, offering a quick turnaround, reliability.
· Repeatable and reproductive results.
· The kit contains all the required reagents for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.
· The kit contains a positive control and internal control.
· Simple and easy workflow od Assay setup in three timed steps.
The ‘Saral Test’ kit contains:
· Master mix.
· Primer Mix-one for each target gene.
· Positive control.
· Extraction Buffer.
· Nuclease free water.
The Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), a government of India enterprise, is helping state governments to the cause of ramping up the COVID tests. BECIL has now decided to further amplify the work by taking Quick Time Labs RT Lamp, powered by QRx to the length and breadth of the country.
The RT-LAMP platform has been endorsed by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya as a path-breaking technology for the rapid diagnosis of SARS CoV-2.
Speaking on this occasion Abhinav Tandon, Co-Founder, QRx said, “The best part of this kit is it is easy to use and manage. You can keep at the reception of offices also and conduct the test if required that will not only help the person to know if he or she is having COVID but at the same time protect others too”. Tandon said it will benefit those who are not vaccinated largely.
Veena Kohli, President, Vanguard Diagnostics said, “The lamp technology bridges the gap between the need of infrastructure and the availability. This will help in detecting various types of bacteria, fungus, and viruses including the COVID-19 requiring the most basic infrastructure with respect to equipment and manpower".
“Testing is important and the Saral Test kit will make things easy. We wanted to launch the product first before going for funding as we are looking at it from a larger reach perspective”, added Tandon who concluded by saying the ‘Saral Test’ kit is inspired by ‘har ghar dastak’ campaign launched by the Health Ministry, “We are proud to launch #HarGharTesting”, said Tandon.