The first Made in India tuberculosis (TB) detection kit that simultaneously detects multiple drug resistance to rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) in a single test has been approved by the CDSCO, TB Expert Committee, and ICMR, according to the Pune-based company Mylab.
The “PathoDetect MTB RIF and INH” drug resistance kit uses RT-PCR for precise detection and will be utilized with Mylab Compact device systems, which will enable fully automated testing of several samples in less than two hours.
According to Biospectrum India, Hasmukh Rawal, MD of Mylab, explained how this kit provides better testing options for TB, saying, “We are tackling multiple issues at once. First, using automated methods that can run several tests at once, to accelerate testing. The second issue is the lack of skilled labor for RT-PCR testing, but India can now address this issue thanks to completely automated systems that don’t require highly specialized people to handle samples and reagents.
In contrast to current PCR solutions, which require 2-8 degree cold storage, the test kits have been developed to function in ambient temperatures. Mylab Compact device systems operate without the need for specialized infrastructure, and feasibility studies on mobile vans in rural regions show that they are quite reliable.