The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) has launched a breakthrough technology in animal health, titled ‘Lateral Flow Immunoassay Strip and Method for Detection of Mastitis in Bovines’, developed by Prof. Siddhartha Panda from the Department of Chemical Engineering and National Centre for Flexible Electronics (NCFlexE), IIT Kanpur; and Dr Satyendra Kumar, senior project scientist, SCDT at NCFlexE, IITK.
This technology aims to revolutionise mastitis detection in dairy cattle. To facilitate its widespread adoption, IIT Kanpur has signed a technology transfer Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prompt Equipments, a dairy technology company operating across more than 70,000 villages nationwide.
The MoU ceremony was witnessed by Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of Research and Development at IITK; Prof. Siddhartha Panda (Inventor) from the Department of Chemical Engineering and NCFlexE at IITK; Shridhar Mehta, Licensee & Chairman of Prompt Equipments; accompanied by Chirag Trivedi.
“Bovine mastitis is recognised as a primary cause of economic losses in dairy industries, resulting from reduced milk yield and poor milk quality. This disease entails an inflammatory response in the udder tissue of the mammary gland, triggered by physical trauma or microbial infections. Hence, a technology has been developed to detect Staphylococcus aureus (a bacterium) which is a key contributor to mastitis, and the associated enterotoxins, using a novel polyclonal antibody and novel designs in the form of a strip test,” informs the statement.
According to market research from pashudhanpraharee.com, the Indian Veterinary Diagnostic market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5 per cent from 2022 to 2029, reaching $9.58 billion by 2029. Addressing preferences in the veterinary diagnostic market, the strip features a dual gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for enhanced sensitivity and specificity, offering rapid results and user-friendly testing. Unlike conventional technologies, the current invention also exhibits long-term stability across varying weather conditions and relatively low manufacturing costs.
Through this strategic collaboration, IIT Kanpur and Prompt Equipments aim to innovate, enhancing both animal welfare and economic sustainability in the dairy sector. The technology has been granted Indian Patent No. 455232 by the Indian Patent Office.