World’s most affordable COVID test kit launched in India

New Delhi: Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ yesterday launched the World’s most affordable RT-PCR based COVID-19 diagnostic kit namely ‘Corosure’ developed by IIT Delhi and approved by the ICMR and DCGI in New Delhi.

Pokhriyal informed that the diagnostic kit, which will be now available for use by the authorised testing labs with this launch, will significantly bring down the cost of COVID-19 RT-PCR testing.

According to IIT officials, the base price of the RT-PCR assay is Rs 399. Even after adding the RNA isolation and laboratory charges, the cost per test will go up to Rs 650 and will be considerably cheaper compared to currently available kits in the market. It can deliver results within three hours.

IIT Delhi, which became the first academic institute to get ICMR nod for a COVID-19 testing method, gave non-exclusive open licence to 10 companies for commercialising the test, but with a price rider of Rs 500 for the assay needed for testing.

The kit Corosure has been commercialised by Newtech Medical Devices.