IIT Delhi Researchers Claim Way To Detect Omicron Within 90 Minutes

Source: The Indian Express

New Delhi: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Delhi (IIT Delhi)  claim to have developed a brand new method to detect the Omicron variant, which can provide outcomes in 90 minutes.

The assay is predicated on detecting particular mutations, that are current within the Omicron variant and absent in different at present circulating variants of the coronavirus, IIT claims. By utilizing this RT-PCR primarily based assay, it will be possible to test for the presence of the Omicron variant within 90 minutes, claim the researchers, News18 reported.

This can be utilised as a fast screening assay for the identification and isolation of people with Omicron variants, the report added.

The technique is developed by the Kusuma School of Biological Sciences at IIT-Delhi. “Primer units concentrating on these distinctive mutations within the S gene have been designed for the particular amplification of both the Omicron variant or different at present circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 and examined utilizing real-time PCR. Using artificial DNA fragments, the assays have been optimised to distinguish the wild-type from the Omicron variant in a dynamic vary from 107 to < 100 copies/reaction,” said the institute in an official statement.

IIT Delhi has filed an Indian patent software for the same and is in the process of initiating talks with potential industry partners, the report added.