In a major development, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has announced the availability of its BD Multitest^™ 6-Color TBNK Reagent with BD Trucount^™ Tubes with an expanded clinical application in India, to help identify COVID-19 patients at increased relative risk of intubation with mechanical ventilation (IMV) and mortality, in conjunction with clinical findings and the results of other laboratory testing.

By providing deeper understanding of immune responses, clinicians can better understand an appropriate course of action for patients while also prioritizing the use of precious hospital resources. 

Speaking on the importance of gauging the patient’s immunity profile, Pavan Mocherla, Managing Director, BD India/South Asia, says, “As India continues to battle with this unprecedented healthcare crisis in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19, application of this immune assessment-based IVD assay amongst COVID-19 patients could potentially ease out the already choked healthcare infrastructure in the country by prioritizing hospital admission and ICU beds to those who are at higher relative risk for requiring ventilator support, and increased risk of mortality”.

“BD has a long working experience with CD4 Monitoring for HIV patients through NACO, MOH&FW, Govt of India in the country. We have been supporting researchers and clinicians to understand immune functions in Cancer, Primary Immuno Deficiency and COVID-19 Vaccine research as well. We hope that that availability of this assay kit in India for expanded COVID-19 clinical application helps in optimal utilization of hospital resources,” adds Pavan Mocherla.

The kit, which is approved for use in European Union, has been reviewed and approved by Drug Controller (General) India CDSCO, India to monitor the lymphocyte subsets for various applications. The test is conducted on a clinical flow cytometer which are available with major hospitals and network laboratories across India. In the current scenario of COVID-19 crisis, this information can now equip the clinician with a deeper understanding of the patient’s immune status.