The Rapid Antigen Test kit has been developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi researchers led by Dr Harpal Singh, professor at the Institute’s Centre for Biomedical Engineering. Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre has launched a Rapid Antigen Test kit for COVID-19 developed by IIT Delhi. 

Dhotre said, “I am confident that this technology will revolutionize the Covid test availability in the country. I am glad to know that the kit has been developed entirely using the internal resources at IIT Delhi.” 

Speaking on this occasion, Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi said, “IIT Delhi had in July 2020 launched a Rs 399 RT PCR kit, which helped bring the RT-PCR test costs to the current level. Using the technologies developed in the Institute, over 8 Million PPE kits have been supplied so far. With the launch of this antigen-based rapid test kit, we hope to make the diagnostics easy and affordable for the rural areas.”

"The invention is directed towards an in vitro diagnostic kit for qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus antigens in nasopharyngeal swab, using the rapid immune chromatographic method. The identification is based on the monoclonal antibodies specific for the Coronavirus antigen. A SARS-CoV-2 positive specimen produces a distinct color band in the test region, formed by the specific antibody antigen colored conjugate complex. Absence of this colored band in the test region suggests a negative result", he added.

IIT Delhi has filed patent application for the developed technology and awarded license to two companies in the country for its commercial rollout. New Delhi-based Dia Sure Immunodiagnostic, is now entering the market with this kit, fixing the cost at Rs. 50/ per test.