RNS: The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched “Corosure”— COVID-19 diagnostic kit on Wednesday. This kit is RT-PCR base and claimed as world’s most affordable diagnostic kit for Coronavirus test, developed by the Indian Institute of Technology-IIT Delhi.
“Corosure” can deliver results within three hours, it said.
The kit has received the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approval with the highest score and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved with very high sensitivity and specificity.
IIT officials informed that the base price of the RT-PCR assay is Rs 399. Even after adding the RNA isolation and laboratory charges, the cost per test will be Rs 650 and will be considerably cheaper compared to currently available kits in the market.
The Minister further informed that IIT Delhi has given license to 10 companies to manufacture COVID-19 diagnostic kit using the technology developed by its researchers.
The minister lauded the work done by the IIT Delhi researchers and congratulated everyone involved in the development and manufacturing of the kit. He appreciated Prof. Vivekanandan Perumal and his research team–Prashant Pradhan (PhD Scholar), Ashutosh Pandey (PhD Scholar), Praveen Tripathi (PhD Scholar), Dr Akhilesh Mishra, Dr Parul Gupta, Dr Sonam Dhamija, Prof Manoj B Menon, Prof Bishwajit Kundu and Prof James Gomes, reported different media.
Minister said that Corosure, is a step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India, adding that the country requires cheap and reliable testing for the country which can help to control the pandemic.
“The Corosure Kit has been developed indigenously and is much cheaper than other kits.”
