Pharma firms may develop diagnostic kits

The Indian drug industry, which has proven its strengths in manufacturing cheap generic or off-patent medicines for the global market, may soon find a similar generic opportunity in the molecular diagnostic segment.

This is after the patent protection on molecular diagnostics based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) platform expired globally.

"Indian companies can now use this platform to develop any number of molecular diagnostic kits. There is tremendous opportunity in developing such diagnostic kits for infectious diseases in countries like India," said Shrikumar Suryanarayan, director general, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE).

Suryanarayan adds that the diagnostic sector can leverage on the scientific expertise and clinical excellence of Indian experts to develop such diagnostic kits for all diseases.

He also feels that India can become a low-cost manufacturing base for such products. The current Indian market for diagnostic services is expected to be over Rs 300 crore.

Diagnostic manufacturers are already entering into this newly emerging market, which used to be a monopoly of foreign multinational firms like Roche diagnostics, said Ravi Kumar, managing director of Xcyton, a pioneer in the manufacture of such diagnostic kits.

The company had recently launched a PCR-based diagnostic kit for eye infections. The project was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and was a collaborative effort involving research institutions like Shankara Netralaya, LVP Eye Institute, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences.