Having successfully developed an indigenous monoclonal blood grouping antibodies kit, Chennai based Mediclone Biotech Pvt Ltd is now planning to offer customized services for the development and production of monoclonal antibodies. This service would be offered to manufacturers and research institutes both in the domestic and export markets.

"We see this service as an extension of our expertise in antiserum production" says A Mathiyalagan, managing director of Mediclone. Amongst the services being offered are immunization of 3-5 balb/c mice with specific immunogen, fusion of spleen cells with NS1 or SP2/O myeloma cells and subcloning of selected fusion products to monoclonality.

Mediclone was set up in 1995 by a group of biotechnologists to develop indigenous technology in medical biotechnology and diagnostics. The company believed that the opportunities in the field of immuno pathology was immense considering the rather primitive nature of the market then. By 1996, Mediclone was ready with its first offering in the form of the monoclonal blood grouping kit. Being a research oriented company, Mediclone entered into a marketing agreement with Cadila Healthcare Ltd for marketing the kits under the brand name ICON.

The agreement with Cadila was terminated in 2000 and the same product then hit the market as the Mediclone range of blood grouping kits.

Adding to the product portfolio, Mediclone has introduced the Indstick urine analysis strip for diabetes and albumen detection. In 2003-04, the company plans to introduce a Hepatitis B detection kit and a range of immuno conjugates for use in Elisa and Western blot tests. Also on the anvil is an immunology tracking kit targeted at academic institutions. These products will be manufactured at Mediclone's facility in Kelambakkam near Chennai.