In a significant advancement for health research infrastructure in the country, a team of scientists from the Multi-Disciplinary Research Unit (MRU) at Raipur's Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Hospital has developed a biomarker kit capable of assessing the severity of Covid-19 infections in their early stages.

This research, initiated during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, has recently been published in Scientific Reports, a prestigious journal under the Nature Publishing Group, which is one of the fifth most cited research journals globally.

At the onset of the pandemic, as numerous leading scientists across the country were focused on developing new Covid-19 diagnostic test kits, Dr. Jagannath Pal (MBBS, PhD), a senior scientist at MRU and principal investigator of the study, began exploring fundamental issues related to pandemic management. Dr. Pal, who holds a postdoctoral degree from the Harvard Cancer Institute (Boston, USA), aimed to create a tool that could also be useful for future pandemics. According to Dr. Pal, who led the development of the Covid-19 prognostic biomarker kit, the early stages of the pandemic saw a surge in the use of resources and antiviral medications, leading to a critical shortage of life-saving drugs such as Remdesivir.

Identifying which Covid-19 patients required advanced medical intervention was challenging during the initial phase. Therefore, it became essential to categorise the severity of patients' infections based on predicted outcomes to allocate resources effectively. However, there was no available test to determine the severity of Covid-19 infections at such an early stage. This new biomarker kit addresses this gap, offering a critical tool for early-stage severity assessment.

Meanwhile, MRU was established jointly by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College Raipur, the Department of Health Research (DHR), Government of India, and the Government of Chhattisgarh.

MRU's Covid-19 kit reflects 'Make in India' vision

Under the leadership of Dr Jagannath Pal, the MRU team has successfully developed a groundbreaking biomarker kit using limited resources. This innovative kit allows for early-stage prediction of Covid-19 severity. The research team created a severity score using a quantitative PCR-based test, achieving a sensitivity of 91 per cent and a specificity of 94 per cent. Another MRU scientist, Dr Yogita Rajput, the lead author of the paper, played a crucial role in coordinating with multidisciplinary contributors to bring this challenging project to fruition.

Considering the commercial potential of Dr Pal’s invention, Pt. J.N.M. Medical College has applied for both Indian and international patents. Dr Pal noted that a recent report from a U.S. patent search agency has highlighted the promising commercial significance of the invention in the US market. This development suggests a potential opportunity to export medical technology that could contribute to India’s economic growth. The MRU’s research also aligns with the Prime Minister’s "Make in India" initiative. Contrary to the common belief that such technological advancements require large infrastructure, substantial funding, and manpower, this success story serves as an inspiring example for researchers working with limited resources.

Pt. J.N.M. Medical College's achievement establishes an encouraging precedent, demonstrating that a state-run medical college can develop medical technology to meet current needs and contribute to its commercialisation.