Delhi: Now, test for Covid-19 at home with Jamia kit

NEW DELHI: At a time when a high number of Covid-19 cases are being reported, Jamia Millia Islamia researchers have developed a unique solution to ramp up testing. With India’s first RNA extraction-free workflow called Cas13 Associated Saliva-based & Smartphone Integrated Testing (Casspit), the researchers believe reliance on RT-PCR can be reduced as the new method gives test results within an hour.
The kit, which has been developed by assistant professors Tanveer Ahmad, Mohan Joshi and Jawed Iqbal of Jamia’s Multidisciplinary Centre for Advance Research and Studies (MCARS), allows users to collect their saliva in a tube, add a chemical, heat the components and then use a paper strip to check if they are Covid-positive.

Ahmad said, “This kit is a non-invasive method of testing where one has to just collect their saliva and it does not require any expertise. While RT-PCR is considered the gold standard of testing for Covid-19, even that gives incorrect results sometimes as it involves swabbing the nostrils. MCARS researchers have been working on saliva-based testing for a few years. This method gives users an opportunity to conduct tests on their own.”
“This method is also cheaper as one has to just collect saliva, add a chemical, and then boil it for 10 minutes. After that, you can get test results through the Cas13 enzyme,” Iqbal added.
The researchers said Casspit utilises the most sensitive and specific CRISPR-Cas system for diagnostics. When tested on more than 100 clinical samples, Casspit data was in 98% agreement with RT-PCR-based data.
“Users can also use our app ‘Mi-Sehat’ through which they can click a picture of their paper strip. Using artificial intelligence, the app can give information about the severity of the virus and help users consult doctors without going anywhere,” said Ahmad.
Co-researcher Mohan Joshi said, “This is a game-changer in healthcare and diagnostics in India. Casspit will be the first step toward developing home-based testing for Covid-19. The limitation of the earlier testing kit was that it required an RNA extraction step and a laboratory setup equipped with a PCR machine. However, Casspit doesn’t need instruments or a laboratory for the test.”
The researchers said saliva-based Covid-19 testing has been approved by USFDA and they were optimistic about getting a quick approval from the authorities. Ahmad said, “Our team had applied at Indian Council of Medical Research to develop a similar prototype for detection of other infectious diseases in 2018. We are in talks with companies that deal in medical diagnostics and want to make it into a startup of Jamia.”