BIT Mesra to develop 'less costly aptamer-based' diagnostic kit for COVID-19 detection

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], Aug 21 (ANI): Researchers at Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra are developing an aptamer-based diagnostic kit for the detection of COVID-19 infection that can detect a number of infections in a precise and efficient manner, besides making detection of COVID-19 less costly, informed the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Friday.
As per the PIB release, BIT Mesra, situated in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, with the support from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has initiated research with the detection of a target protein using bioinformatics tool against which the diagnostic kit has to be developed.
"The researchers are developing an aptamer-based diagnostic kit for detection of SARS-Co-V2 infection. Their study will first ensure the detection of coronavirus infection while subsequently, the kit will also differentiate the various types of coronavirus infection (SARS Co-V1, MERS) including COVID-19 infection," the release said.
It added that the general coronavirus infection may be detected on the basis of conserved domain present in all three coronavirus infection (SARS Co-V1, MERS & COVID 19) while the differential kit will be developed on the basis of a combination of conserved and non-conserved domain present in SARS-CoV2 virus, SARS-CoV2 virus & MERS virus, respectively.
According to the release, the study has taken the special domain of spike protein into consideration for the development of the diagnostic kit.
"This kit also has the advantage of detecting coronavirus infection in very less time as it will be a rapid diagnostic kit for detection based on the change in colour. Further, the kit will be less costly in comparison to the antibody-based detection technique due to the low production cost and requirement of the less stringent storage facility," the release added.
The release also said that the development of the diagnostic kit will be done at the BIT Mesra lab, while testing of the kit will be conducted at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar.
The release further added that the aptamer-based technology is a relatively new technique, and can detect a number of infections in precise and efficient manner. (ANI)