The Meril COVID-19 One-step RT-PCR Kit is the first indigenously developed multiplex RT-PCR test to be made available in India

Today, some of the most contested questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak revolves around testing? Are countries testing enough people? Are there enough testing kits to conduct testing? Can the testing kits be trusted?

It is important to understand that this pandemic is here to stay and will require a coordinated global effort for defeating it. We cannot fight fire blindfolded. A pandemic cannot be stopped if we don’t know who is infected. When a communicable outbreak like this begins, the ideal response is for public health officials to begin testing. Because testing leads to identification of cases, quick treatment for those who are infected and immediate isolation for the infected people to prevent the spread. Though, we are obviously not in the ideal situation with COVID-19 pandemic, as per WHO, testing still remains a crucial parameter in the fight against the virus. Testing every suspected case is important. In countries like India, the testing phase started a little later as compared to the other countries as not many positive cases were spotted initially in order to deploy an SOS strategy. And, despite a forceful spike in the manufacturing of testing kits, a rigorous contribution was needed from the local manufacturers in developing and manufacturing cost-effective and accurate testing kits. However, over the past couple of weeks, the situation has begun to change and we can surely see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd with India’s first COVID-19 One-Step RT-PCR unboxed hope. They received CE approval for their indigenously developed and manufactured COVID-19 testing kits for global use.

Meril COVID-19 One-Step RT-PCR Kit is a real-time RT-PCR detection kit based on Multiplex PCR technology that identifies and detects the novel coronavirus (SARS COV-2) nucleic acids (RNA) in human serum nasopharyngeal swabs and throat swabs samples. The results can be used to assist diagnosis of patients with COVID-19 infection and provide a molecular diagnostic basis for infected patients.

What is Multiplex PCR technology?
Multiplex PCR is the simultaneous detection of multiple targets in a single reaction well, with a different pair of primers for each target. This technique requires two or more probes that can be distinguished from each other and detected simultaneously. By targeting multiple sequences at once, multiple results are produced in a single test run that otherwise would require several times the reagents and more time to perform.

Benefits of COVID-19 One-Step RT-PCR kit

• Highlights:
• One tube reaction for identification and detection of 2019-nCov
• One-step Multiplex Real time RT-PCR 
• Primer and Probe mix based on dual-target gene design
• Evaluated by National Institute of Virology (NIV)
  

• Ease of operation:
• Provides all reagents required for PCR
• Provides all internal controls
• Assay Time: 65mins  
• Compatible with real time PCR instruments with FAM, HEX/VIC, RED/ROX channel
  Viz.
  • Applied Biosystems (ABI) 7500
  • Roche LightCycler 480
  • Shanghai Hongshi SLAN-96P
  • QIAGEN Rotor Gene Q

• Accuracy:
• Analytical accuracy of < 5 RNA copies/reaction
• No cross-reactivity with other respiratory viruses
• Repeatable and reproducible results
• Specificity: 100%
• Sensitivity: 100%

In past few weeks, we have seen a rapid escalation of COVID-19 cases. Though many countries along with India have started to reopen after the lockdown in order to support their respective economies, it still doesn’t prove that we are totally immune from the virus. It is crucial to understand that the virus is here to stay for long and despite countries lifting the lockdown, we will have to continue our efforts and follow preventive measures in order to protect ourselves from the virus. 

Urgent escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracing still remains the backbone of the response. And, while the world decides to further ramp up the coronavirus testing, it becomes equally important to choose the right kind of testing kits that provide accurate results and at the same time are cost-effective.

 To know more about the kit, click https://www.merillife.com/Covid-19-Testing-Kit-IgG-IgM-One-Step-Rt-PCR-Kit/