Testing kit for faster confirmation of Covid-19 cases developed by Pune-based firm

March 24: In what seems to be a Make in India initiative, a Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions is the first Indian company to receive commercial approval for its novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, testing kits. The kits have reportedly been developed in a record time of six weeks and will reduce the cost of testing to a fourth of the current cost.

A single kit costs Rs 80,000 & can test 100 patients. Ranjit Desai, Scientist at Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt Ltd said, “We can produce 1 to 1.5 lakh tests in a week, we are trying to increase our production for the public. These kits cost 1/4th the price that the imported kits are being sold for.”

One unit of the Mylab PathoDetect COVID-19 Qualitative PCR kit can test 100 patients. The company said it can manufacture 1 lakh test kits a week, but can ramp up production if required. With the newly-developed kits ”Mylab PathoDetect COVID-19 Qualitative PCR, the company would be able to shorten the test time to 2.5 hours as against the prevalent 6-8 hours because its team has created a solution that does both the screening and confirmation jobs simultaneously.