In a ‘Make-in-India’ initiative, Kerala-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of national importance under the Union Science and Technology Ministry, has developed an innovative technology to isolate RNA from swab samples and enhance the chances of identifying Covid-19 positive cases.
Presently, a majority of RNA isolation kits is being imported.
The Thiruvananthapuram based institute has filed for patent for this technology which is simpler than imported ones. Developed by Dr Anoop Thekkuveettil and his team, the kit Known as “Chitra Magna”, uses magnetic nano-particle to capture and concentrate the ribo-nucleic acid (RNA) from the patient’s swab sample and can be deployed for both PCR and Chitra Gene LAMP-N, the much cheaper and faster diagnostic kit developed by the institute recently, for tests to detect the virus.
The same team had developed Chitra Gene LAMP-N, said a scientist in a statement here.
The SARS-COV-2, the causative virus of coronavirus pandemic, is a virus that uses RNA, a long single stranded polymeric substance present in all living cells and carries the genetic information of the organism necessary for life, explained the scientist.
One of the critical steps in detecting this virus is by confirming the presence of the RNA of the virus in the sample taken from the throat or nose.
In the lab, the RNA of Covid-19 is extracted, converted into DNA and amplified using the PCR technique or LAMP technique.
“Chitra Magna” would give a significant advantage in the extraction as even if some viral RNA disintegrates during storage and transportation of the samples, all of it is captured by the magnetic bead-based extraction technology, said the scientist.
The magnetic nano-particle beads bind to the viral RNA and when exposed to a magnetic field gives a highly purified and concentrated level of RNA. As the yield of PCR or LAMP test is dependent on getting adequate quantity of viral RNA, this innovation enhances the chances of identifying positive cases, the scientist added.
‘Chitra Magna’ can be used to extract high purity RNA from patient samples not only for LAMP testing, but also for RT-PCR test, he said.
The technology of ‘Chitra Magna’ has already been transferred to a private firm, Agappe Diagnostics Ltd at Kochi. The company has already taken the Chitra GeneLamp for identification of the N gene of SARS-COV-2, a potential confirmatory test with accuracy matching RT-PCR in its initial validation at National Institute of Virology by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).