Hyderabad-based BioGenex Life Sciences has developed a RT-PCR kit for COVID-19 diagnosis, which detects COVID-19 caused by SARS COV 2 variants including 'OMICRON' plus other variants.

The NIB, Noida, an ICMR designated lab, examined the performance of this kit and found that it performed with 100% accuracy which means no false negatives or positives, which will significantly control the pandemic through accurate diagnosis. The kit detects the Omicron variant in half the time than the standard RT-PCR test.

The TRIPLEX COVID-19 RT-PCR Direct is a real-time RT-PCR test intended for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 directly from the upper respiratory swab, nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs, collected in preservative media, (VTM/UTM), pH 7.2-7.4 to provide the molecular diagnostic basis for infected patients.

The test analyses samples in VTM directly without the need for RNA extraction step. It helps scientists for rapid tracking of disease prevalence and aid in treatment insight (e.g. hospital beds, oxygen ventilators and expensive medications) for healthcare systems in making appropriate measures to combat COVID-19.