Drug major Cipla on Thursday announced the commercialisation of its RT-PCR test kit 'ViraGen' for COVID-19 in India, in partnership with Ubio Biotechnology Systems.
"This launch will help address the current testing services and capacity issues while reaffirming the company's ongoing expansion in the diagnostic space," Cipla said in a regulatory filing.
Cipla will launch ViraGen test kit in the country in partnership with Ubio Biotechnology Systems, the company stated.
ViraGen is a real-time detection kit approved by the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). It is based on multiplex PCR technology and helps to identify and detect SARS CoV-2 N Gene and ORF Lab Gene with the sensitivity of 98.6 percent and the specificity of 98.8 percent as compared to a standard ICMR test, according to biospectrumindia.com.
The company will commence supply of the COVID-19 virus detection kit from May 25, 2021.
Umang Vohra, MD and Global CEO, Cipla, said, “Cipla has been working relentlessly to ensure accessibility to treatments in this fight against COVID-19. Guided by our core purpose of ''Caring for Life'', this partnership will enable us to reach out to more people across the country at a crucial time like now”.
ViraGen is Cipla's third offering in the COVID-19 testing segment.
In October 2020, Cipla launched antibody detection kits for COVID-19 in India under the brand name ''ELIFast'' in partnership with KARWA Ltd, under the technology transfer from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
In December 2020, Cipla announced its partnership with the Premier Medical Corporation Pvt Ltd for commercialisation of the rapid antigen test kits for COVID-19 in India.
(With PTI inputs)
