RT-LAMP based test for Coronavirus

CSIR-IIIM, Jammu a constituent laboratory of CSIR and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has signed a Memorandum of understanding with to develop and scale-up a new Reverse Transcriptase-Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) based COVID-19 diagnostic kit.

The partnership comes as testing is a vital component in COIVD-19 mitigation.

For this project, CSIR has formed five verticals to coordinate various research activities into Digital and Molecular Surveillance, Drugs & Vaccines, Rapid and Economical Diagnostics, Hospital Assistive Devices & PPEs, and Supply Chain and Logistics.

COVID-19 RT-LAMP test is a nucleic acid-based test carried out from a nasal/throat swab sample from patients.

The test recipe has been developed and successfully demonstrated using synthetic templates.

It is rapid (45-60 min), cost-effective and accurate test. 

It has been tested with a small number of patients samples and validating the kit on more number of patient samples is planned and will be done together with RIL.