In a bid to reduce the life-threatening complications and consequences associated with tuberculosis (TB), Swedish startup EMPE Diagnostics has launched its one-of-its-kind test kit — mfloDx™ MDR-TB — at Telangana Lifesciences office, in Hyderabad.

The path-breaking kit was unveiled by Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, Minister for IT, Industries and Municipal Administration, Government of Telangana and Raghavendra Goud Vaggu, Global CEO, EMPE Diagnostics, in the presence of Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce and Information Technology; Satish Reddy, Chairman - Dr Reddy Labs; and Shakti Nagappan, Director, Lifesciences, Govt of Telangana.

The mfloDx™ multi drug resistant (MDR)-TB is a rapid, accurate, and affordable kit that provides reliable answers about the bacterium and its resistance profile. The multiplex molecular test indicates the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its genotypic resistance profile by developing a visual signal.

Clinicians can get confirmatory results in a qualitative ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ format, within 3 hours. The kit has been recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in multiple countries and has patents in 19 countries.

According to CEO Raghavendra Goud, the mfloDx™ MDR-TB test kit has been designed to detect TB and its antibiotic resistance. It includes controls and MDR-TB Rifampicin and Isoniazid and has been approved by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

The company has established a global production and R&D facility at Genome Valley and has invested about Rs 25 crore. “We’re the first ever company to receive grants from the European Innovation Council and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We currently have a capacity to make 25 million kits and will be expanding to 100 million kits soon,” Goud added.