Delhi: Omicron will be identified in 90 minutes, IIT Delhi has developed a new kit
New Delhi: IIT Delhi has developed a new kit to identify the Omicron variant of Corona. This testing system for identification of Omicron variant of corona by IIT Delhi is based on RT PCR. Its special feature is that while it takes more than 3 days to identify the new and rapidly spreading Omicron variant of corona, the system developed by IIT Delhi can identify the Omicron variant within just 90 minutes. The victim can be identified.
IIT Delhi said that researchers from Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, IIT Delhi have developed an RT PCR test based assay to detect the new variant Omicron of Corona. This investigation is based on the detection of specific mutations, which are present in the Omicron variant and presently absent in other circulating variants of SAARC corona virus. Primer sets targeting these unique mutations in the S gene were designed for specific amplification of either the Omicron variant or other currently circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 and tested using real-time PCR.
Using synthetic DNA fragments, the dynamic range of the reaction was optimized to isolate the Omicron variant. Currently, Omicron identification or screening is performed worldwide using next generation sequencing based methods, requiring more than 3 days. Using this RT-PCR based assay, it would be possible to test for the presence of the Omicron variant within 90 min. It can be used as a rapid screening assay for the identification and isolation of individuals with Omicron variants. IIT Delhi has filed an Indian patent application for the same and is in the process of initiating talks with potential industry partners.
IIT Delhi had earlier received ICMR’s (India’s first educational institute to do so) approval for RTPCR kit for diagnosis of corona, which was successfully launched in the market. Earlier, the state-of-the-art kit developed in IIT Delhi for the investigation of corona, its cost is only Rs 50. According to IIT Delhi, the accuracy of the kit developed by them in the past was more than 90 percent.
