First batch of Zydus Cadila’s COVID Kavach ELISA supplied to ICMR
30,000 antibody detection test was supplied to ICMR
Zydus Cadila (Cadila Healthcare Ltd) supplied the initial set of 30,000 COVID Kavach ELISA tests to on Thursday.
The Zydus Cadila’s COVID Kavach ELISA kit will be used for COVID-19 antibody detection.
The kit is manufactured by Cadila Healthcare’s arm, Zydus Diagnostics. For surveillance purposes, the kit has been made in technology transfer with ICMR-NIV, Pune. The company stated that, the kits are provided to ICMR for free.
For surveillance as well as understanding the proportion of the population exposed to COVID-19 – the rapid antibody tests are important.
“We are supplying the first set of kits at no charge because the need of the hour is to be prepared in every way that we can with the most up to date diagnostic innovations,” said Pankaj R Patel, Chairman, Zydus Cadila Healthcare.
The Zydus Cadila‘s test kits were found to have high sensitivity as well as specificity and were verified by NIV. The kit is manufactured in just 4 days of obtaining all needed products from ICMR-NIV at the company’s Moraiya facility near Ahmedabad.
To be better prepared against disease outbreaks
and help people who are at greater risk, particularly in remote areas, Zydus Cadila had previously collaborated with ICMR.For detecting the COVID-19 antibody the IgG ELISA test was successfully developed by ICMR-NIV.
A high level of sensitivity and specificity was found in the kit when it was verified at 2 sites in Mumbai.
Furthermore, the kit will test 90 samples in a single run within 2.5 hours which is certainly a great advantage.
Additionally, ELISA-based testing can be performed with ease even at the district level.
The technology was commercialized by Zydus Cadila for large scale production after development at ICMR-NIV.
The rapid antibody test kits imported from China had only a 6-30% accuracy rate and the tests showed several instances of failure test including false-positive and false-negative results.
For the detection and monitoring of rare and overlooked diseases in people as well as livestock, the company has been manufacturing and marketing a range of ELISA kits.
Testing kits for Kyasanur Forest Disease Disease KFDV (ELISA), Chandipura Virus (ELISA), Hepatitis E Virus (ELISA), Japanese Encephalitis, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever (IgM and IgG tests), as well as Measles (IgM) for human testing and Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever (ELISA kits for sheep, goat, and cattle), was produced by the Zydus Diagnostics.
On Thursday, the shares of Cadila Healthcare gained over 2% to trade at 345.30 on BSE.
Author: Sruthi S
