Startups test the waters with point-of-care diagnostics

With testing becoming pervasive since Covid-19, medtech startups in Bengaluru are developing portable kits that can help users get immediate, accurate results for tests that would otherwise take hours or days.

Point-of-care (POC) testing, which takes testing away from labs and close to the patient, is still evolving, and Bengaluru is a major hub for innovating these products. These could be products for self-testing similar to glucometers, or portable devices like Truenat that a clinic or lab can use for rapid testing.

Companies are developing such tests for measuring thyroid, electrolyte levels (such as blood sodium), etc., which will help patients with chronic conditions. Rapid tests are also being developed for infectious diseases like dengue, TB and hepatitis, that can also be used in preventive checkups and community screening.

The city currently has nearly 20 startups, along with some traditional companies, developing POC testing products or components, says Dr Vijay Chandru, co-founder of the startup CrisprBits. Currently the market is small, with many products set to launch from next year only.

CrisprBits is using the gene-editing technology CRISPR to develop a testing platform that can detect sickle cell anaemia as well as six pathogens including salmonella and rotavirus. These tests will soon undergo validation studies, and are expected to be in the market by next June, after getting approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

MolBio Diagnostics’ Trunat platform, which was originally developed for TB and became popular during Covid, currently offers over 45 tests. These include rapid tests for multidrug-resistant TB, HIV viral load, dengue, and HbA1c test for diabetes. The platform is currently used in 7,000 locations across India, including BBMP’s Primary Health Centres and Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. More tests, including that for electrolyte level measurement, are being developed now.

Another city-based company Achira Labs is developing tests for measuring thyroid and other hormone levels, inflammation, etc. They are also developing bacteria culture tests for urinary tract infection that would identify the bacteria and effective antibiotic within an hour instead of the current 24-48 hours. “Antibiotics are prescribed in clinics a lot. With this device, the doctor will be able to prescribe the right antibiotic,” says company co-founder Dhananjaya Dandukuri.

These startups say they are first targeting to reach clinics, small labs and community health workers like ASHAs. Direct sales to customers is expected to happen in a few more years. Dr Chandrashekhar Nair of MolBio Diagnostics says that the cost of these products will depend on how well they get adopted, and on government policies promoting adoption.