DIPCOVAN: DRDO develops COVID-19 antibody detection kit

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed an antibody detection kit for the early screening of COVID-19.

The Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, a lab of DRDO, in association with Delhi based firm Vanguard Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, has developed DIPCOVAN, the DIPS-VDx COVID 19 IGg Antibody Microwell ELISA for sero surveillance.

As per the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the three batches of the product were validated for the last one year. The COVID-19 antibody detection kit has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research in April 2021.

The antibody detection kit has been developed indigenously by scientists. Extensive validation on over 1000 patients was also done at various COVID hospitals in Delhi.

DRDO develops COVID-19 antibody detection kit DIPCOVAN. The kit can detect spike as well as nucleocapsid (S&N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 virus.#AtmanirbharBharat https://t.co/ubsrYIxGyo pic.twitter.com/B356vaeKYG

— DRDO (@DRDO_India) May 21, 2021

Significance:

• The kit can detect the spike as well as the nucleocapsid (S and N) proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with a high sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 99%.

• DIPCOVAN aims for the qualitative detection of IgG antibodies in human serum or plasma, targeting the SARS-CoV-2 related antigens.

• The detection kit also offers a significantly faster turn-around time as it requires only 75 minutes to conduct the test without any form of cross-reactivity with other diseases.

• The antibody detection kit will be useful for understanding COVID-19 epidemiology as well as assessing the individual’s previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

DIPCOVAN: Key Highlights

• In May 2021, the antibody detection kit received regulatory approval from the Drugs Controller General of India and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, Health Ministry to manufacture the product for sale and distribution.

• The product is expected to be launched by vanguard Diagnostics Pvt. Ltd. Commercially by the first week of June 2021.

• At the time of the launch, readily available stocks will be 100 kits (approx. 10,000 tests) with a production capacity of around 500 kits per month after the launch.

• The antibody detection kit is expected to be available at about Rs. 75 per test.

Anti-Covid drug by DRDO:

The Defence Research and Development Organisation had also launched an anti-COVID drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). The drug is developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences of DRDO in partnership with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories. The first batch of the anti-COVID drug was launched by the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.