The partnership is in line with Redcliffe’s efforts towards helping in research around recent health pandemic, discussions to offer support with some equipped institutions that have BSL2 facilities
Redcliffe Life Sciences has partnered with Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeoscience (BSIP), Lucknow in a bid to contribute to the ongoing diagnostics and discoveries around COVID-19. While BSIP, which is accredited by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has been appointed as the sample analysing centre (SAC), Redcliffe will provide infectious diagnostic testing services for COVID-19.
The partnership is in line with Redcliffe’s efforts towards helping in the research around the recent health pandemic and discussions to offer support with some equipped institutions that have BSL2 facilities. The diagnostic company recently got approval for this unique PPP model from BSIP.
Speaking about this, Ashish Dubey, Co-Founder, Redcliffe Life Sciences, said, “We are happy to be associated with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India affiliated Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeoscience (BSIP) for a contribution towards the research around the novel coronavirus. With our combined capabilities, we hope to become a game-changer in the efforts towards tackling the pandemic and assist the governmental efforts in this direction. There are not many testing labs in Uttar Pradesh and given the need for testing in a large set of population, we are keeping ourselves ready with the infrastructure. We will be ready to offer testing after April 15, 2020.”
“As part of the association, BSIP will provide up and running infrastructure BSL2 and above, as per the ICMR guidelines. The institution will also design the assays and protocols to test the presence and absence of COVID-19 using RT-PCR as per the ICMR guidelines. Redcliffe, on its part, will help conduct a prescribed diagnostic test within a set turn-around time (calculated from the sample receipt) and issue a formal test report using their manpower who are trained at handling infectious samples,” stated Dr Vandana Prasad, Director, BSIP and Dr Niraj Rai, in-charge of ancient DNA lab at BSIP Lucknow.
The Redcliffe team along with Dr Rai and his team at BSIP are working on a mass-screening assay to diagnose a large population using a mass array technology. The details will be shared in due course once the assay design is complete. The cost of the tests is expected to be lesser than Rs 1000 per sample and for a large set of the population, this can even be below Rs 700 provided 500 samples are screened together.
Redcliffe will also provide special pricing for tests generated by BSIP or follow the ICMR guidelines when testing for any other such government institutions. The company will provide sample collection kits (wherever necessary) apart from manpower, logistics, and the necessary reagents / kits to BSIP. It will further help in waste management and disposal of the biological material as per ICMR guidelines.
Redcliffe also recently announced the capability to undertake Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to tackle COVID-19 spread. The company has also approached the Ministry of Health, Government of India and the ICMR to assist in their efforts in this area.
Redcliffe is actively working with a multidisciplinary approach towards diagnostics, screening, and therapeutics for COVID-19, and has been successful in identifying few molecules, which can be taken for clinical validation study, (more information is awaited for these developments after the study results are available). They have written few proposals in the directions and the same is under review with Dept of Biotechnology (DBT).