ICMR Designs Fast & Accurate Omicron Covid Detection Kit, Shares With Manufacturers

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has now designed a diagnostic kit for the detection of the newly surfaced Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, according to a report by PTI.

Reuters

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Authorities now wish to share the tech behind this kit with other manufacturers to bridge the gap between the demand for RT-PCR kits for testing the novel coronavirus.

The authority has shared an ¡®Expression of Interest¡¯ from in vitro diagnostics kit makers for recreating and commercialising the technology.

The tech behind this, is a real-time RT-PCR assay for detection of Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of the SARS-CoV-2, developed by ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, NE Dibrugarh, one of the institutes of ICMR Delhi.

The document shared by the authority highlights that ICMR is the rightful owner of the said technology including any underlying intellectual property (ies) and commercialisation rights. The document also highlighted that it is entitled to enter into any kind of non-exclusive license agreements with manufacturers, which could involve the transfer of technology via a suitable agreement.

Representative Image: Unsplash

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Based on the terms and conditions of the agreement, ICMR would grant a non-exclusive license to manufacturers. The right and license would be royalty-bearing that will allow practice of the technology and process to make, sell and market products across the globe.

The agreement strictly highlights that the EoI will only be executed on a non-exclusive basis with multiple manufacturers due to the overwhelming demand for real-time RT-PCR assay to detect the novel Omicron variant effectively.

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