Bengaluru: Contract research and manufacturing firm Syngene International has developed an Elisa test kit to detect antibodies that fight Covid-19 infections.The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) test measures immunoglobulin levels and is useful in testing asymptomatic and convalescent patients. These tests can also be used for large scale community screening.
“We are ready with a prototype and we will get it evaluated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at the earliest,” Syngene chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told. The company, she added, is developing a number of serological tests (that measure antibodies or proteins present in blood) based on Covid-19 specific antigen and antibodies.
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Questions have been raised about serological tests over their specificity but when used in conjunction with RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) tests, they can indicate early, active and convalescent phase of the infection, Shaw said.
“Elisa kits are known to be more reliable than point-of-care strip tests. Elisa tests can measure IgG antibodies both quantitatively and qualitatively, whereas point-of-care tests are only accurate in terms of qualitative measures,” she added.
The Bengaluru-headquartered research firm was able to work on the serological tests after the Karnataka government extended its support, and the government-run Victoria Hospital shared bio-specimens of those who had recovered from the infection with consent from donors and approvals from the ethics committee.
