New Delhi, December 13, 2018 : .Researchers from IIT Delhi’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences developed an RTPCR-based assay to detect the Omicron variant of SARS/CoV-2. This assay targets specific mutations that are found in the Omicron variation and not in any other currently circulated variants of SARS/CoV-2.These primer sets, which target unique mutations within the S gene, were created for specific amplifying of the Omicron or other circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.They are tested with real-time PCR.The assays used synthetic DNA fragments to differentiate the wild type from the Omicron variant.They can be performed in dynamic ranges of 107 up to 100 copies.
Omicron screening or identification is currently done worldwide using next-generation sequencing methods that take over three days.
This RT-PCR based test will allow you to determine if the Omicron variant is present within just 90 minutes.
It can also be used to quickly screen for Omicron variants.
IIT Delhi filed an Indian patent application and is currently in talks with industry partners.
IIT Delhi had earlier obtained ICMR approval (first academic Institute in India to do so) for an RT-PCR kit for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, which was successfully launched in the market.
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