Molbio Diagnostics is collaborating with Bengaluru-based startup ShanMukha Innovations to design develop, and commercialise affordable point-of-care diagnostic devices to diagnose haemoglobinopathy-related diseases.

Shanmukha Innovations has developed SickleCert, India’s first indigenous point-of-care confirmatory test for quantitative detection and differentiation of sickle-cell disease/trait, approved by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.

The technology based on High-Performance Optical Spectroscopy (HPOS) demonstrated high accuracy in clinical evaluations and has been approved by ICMR and recommended by the Department of Health Research. This platform will soon also be able to test for Anemia and Thalassemia.

Goa-based firm Molbio will help Shanmukha with the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of the platform, in line with its vision of enabling the availability of futuristic health technologies to the world.

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder that is characterised by an altered haemoglobin structure, which causes flexible red blood cells to become stiff sickle-shaped cells, leading to debilitating effects like obstruction of blood flow, oxygen deficiency and an increasing risk of organ damage. 

With a tiny amount of blood from a finger prick, the test provides highly accurate results in 15 minutes. In batch mode, over 40 samples can be tested in an hour enabling a large volume of screenings to be completed in a much shorter time span.