CSIR Transfers RT-PCR Testing Technology for Salt Gargle to MSME Industry | Latest news India

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Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), under the Scientific and Industrial Research Council (CSIR), has transferred reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technology technology of indigenous developed saline gargle to test Covid-19 samples, the government announced Sunday.

The technology that also provides immediate test results and is suitable for rural areas with poor connectivity, given its minimal infrastructure requirements, has been transferred to the Ministry of the Union of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MPMI). It should be simple, convenient, patient-friendly, and comfortable.

the innovation developed by the institute was dedicated to the nation to serve society. The know-how was transferred to the Ministry of the Union of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MPMI), on a non-exclusive basis. This would allow innovation to be commercialized and licensed to all capable parties, including individuals, governments and various rural development schemes and departments, said a statement released by the Indian government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB).

As part of the technology transfer agreement, licensees are expected to create production facilities for commercial production in the form of compact and easy-to-use kits.

Technology transfer has been accelerated in view of the pandemic and a likely third wave of Covid-19 on the way, the PIB statement says.

The main inventor of this is NEERI scientist Dr Krishna Khairnar and a team of environmental virology research scholars at CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur.

The government announced in May the development of this technology which was also approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Collecting swabs takes time. Furthermore, being invasive, it is a bit uncomfortable for patients. Time is also lost in transporting a sample from the collection center to the laboratory. The RT-PCR method for saline gargle is instant, convenient and patient friendly. Sampling is done instantly and results are generated within three hours, Khairnar said in May.

The method is non-invasive and simple enough for the patient to collect their own sample for testing. A simple collection tube filled with a saline solution is used. The patient gargles with the solution and rinses it inside the tube. The sample is then taken to a laboratory where it is stored at room temperature in a special buffer solution prepared by NEERI. When this solution is heated, an RNA template is produced, which is further processed for RT-PCR testing.

This particular method of sample collection and processing allows us to save on the otherwise expensive infrastructure requirements of RNA extraction. People can also challenge themselves, as this method allows for self-sampling. The method is also environmentally friendly, as waste generation is minimized, Khairnar said.

The team hopes this innovative test will be particularly beneficial for people living in remote areas that are hard to reach.

Experts welcomed the development, but also fear that monitoring autosampling will be a challenge.

It remains to be seen what the sensitivity levels of this type of technology will be, as we know that with both nasal and oral samples we get sensitivity levels close to 70%. Furthermore, a lot will depend on people’s conscience when the burden of providing test samples lies with them. Monitoring whether sampling is done according to the rules can be difficult, said Dr. Navin Dang, founder and president, Dr. Dangs Lab, which was one of the first labs to be approved for Covid-19 testing in the country last year.

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