Siemens develops indigenous RT-PCR kit for mpox

India has developed an indigenous RT-PCR testing kit for Mpox. Siemens Healthineer’s IMDX Mpox Detection RT-PCR test for the viral disease has received manufacturing approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). This aligns with the country’s “Make in India” initiative and can prove to be of critical advancement in the mpox public health emergency.

In a statement, Siemens Healthcare said that the IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay will be manufactured at their molecular diagnostics manufacturing facility in Vadodara. The statement further said that the molecular diagnostic test targets two distinct regions in the viral genome, spanning both clade I and clade II variants of the virus. Additionally, this array is platform-agnostic and fits into existing lab workflows with standard PCR setups, eliminating the need for new instruments.

The test delivers results in just 40 minutes, significantly faster than traditional methods which take 1-2 hours.

WHO has announced its second public health emergency of International concern due to mpox. The new strain of the virus – clad-1 is considered to be more transmissible and has higher mortality rates.