Bio-Rad Labs to launch HIV, Hep-C test kits

Bio-Rad Laboratories, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research products and clinical diagnostics, will launch a new test kit for HIV and Hepatatis-C virus (HCV) in India by November.

Talking to Business Standard, Dhiren Wagle, country manager of Bio-Rad Laboratories, said, "We will launch test kits for HIV and HCV in the Indian market by November."

The company will announce its launch at the international conference of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion & Immunohoemotology that will be held in Ahmedabad in November. Both the test kits are manufactured at Bio-Rad, France, in association with Pasture Institute of France.

HIV and HCV fall under the sensitive categories of disease that require faster detection but is not currently available in the market.

At present, it takes approximately 25 days for detection of both antigen and antibody in HIV and HCV. This will be reduced to only eight to ten days, said Wagle.

"The HIV and HCV test kits will be marketed under the brand name GenScreen HIV Combo Ag/AB and HbSAg Antigen Ultra, respectively. The HIV test kit will be able to detect antibody as well as antigen while the HCV test kit will only detect antigen," he said.

The quicker detection of both antigen and antibody for HIV and HCV is expected to help a blood bank doctor provide safer blood for transfusion and aid those who are suspected of being infected with the diseases.

Wagle said, "The blood screening market is approximately $9 million in India, of which HIV and HCV testing market is approximately $3.5 million and $2.6 million in India."

Recently, the company launched an advanced test kit for dengue fever under the brand name 'Platelia Dengue NS1 Ag Assay'.