New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited expressions of interest (EoI) from eligible companies and manufacturers to undertake the transfer of technology for the commercialisation of the IgM ELISA Kit for detecting Chikungunya — a vector-borne disease.

The IgM-based diagnostic ELISA kit for Chikungunya virus detection, developed by the ICMR- National Institute of Virology, aims to enable the detection of chikungunya virus-specific IgM antibodies in patient serum. It will aid in the early diagnosis of individuals presenting symptoms consistent with the infection.

“ICMR-Medical Innovations Patent Mitra is offering its validated Chikungunya IgM ELISA Kit for technology transfer and commercialisation. The kit is developed for early-stage detection, is cost-effective, and scalable. Independently validated, the technology is also deployed in the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme,” the ICMR said.

According to the EoI, “it is currently in regular production and the kits are being supplied to sentinel surveillance hospitals and apex referral laboratories under the national programme”.

The kit, evaluated by the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC), has a diagnostic sensitivity of 95 per cent and diagnostic specificity of 98 per cent. It also has a high inter- and intra-assay reproducibility, the EoI said.

IgM antibodies are crucial for early-stage detection, making these kits highly valuable for timely diagnosis and containment of the virus, which is present globally.

“The IgM-based Diagnostic ELISA kit for Chikungunya virus detection presents strong market potential, driven by the increasing prevalence of Chikungunya outbreaks in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America,” the EoI said.

As governments and healthcare providers prioritise early detection and decentralised testing, IgM ELISA kits offer both clinical relevance and commercial viability.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by an Alphavirus of the Togaviridae family, first identified in Tanzania in 1953 and responsible for multiple outbreaks across tropical regions of Africa and South Asia.

The symptoms typically include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rash.

Currently, there are no antivirals to treat chikungunya.

–IANS

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