Kerala-based TCM to produce IIT-D-developed Covid19 Test Kits

TCM to produce 500 kits per day which is good for 50000 tests under the brandname Covidetect

Kochi-based TCM Healthcare, a fully-owned subsidiary of TCM Ltd, which used to be a chemicals manufacturer till recently and was originally founded by Nobel-laureate physicist C V Raman way back in 1943, will start manufacturing Covid 19 test kits developed by IIT Delhi. TCM is among the seven companies chosen by IIT Delhi nationwide to manufacture the much-awaited Covid test kits. Announcing this here in Kochi, Joseph Varghese, Managing Director, TCM Ltd, said the company has identified four units across the country for the production so as to help distribute the much-needed test kits easily and effectively. The first unit to start production will be the one in Kochi’s Kinfra Biotech Park, which is expected to roll out the first commercial batch by mid August 2020. In phases, TCM will make 500 units per day which is good for 50,000 tests, as one kit is for 100 tests, Joseph Varghese said.

Mr. Joseph Vargehse added that the IIT-Delhi developed RT-PCR assay cost will be priced at Rs.399 only and even after adding the RNA isolation and laboratory charges, the cost per test will be considerably cheaper compared to currently available kits in the market, which is around Rs.4,500 per test now.

“The IIT-D developed kits are RT PCR ones and they do not depend on imported fluorescent profiles, resulting in the cost difference,” he explained. The company is planning to market the product nationwide through tying up with a couple of leading pharmaceutical companies. Talks with 3-4 pharma companies are already on and we are about to strike a deal in the coming days, Joseph Varghese said.

The licensing by IIT-Delhi was started when the testing kit developed by it was approved by the Indian Medical Council of India and Drug Control General of India.