The Hindu Business Line : XCyton developing DNA macro chips

Hyderabad, Nov. 10 Bangalore-based molecular diagnostic products company XCyton is in the process of developing two DNA macro chips, which can screen many disease agents simultaneously, for respiratory illness in the aged, and a multi-drug resistant chip.

“The multi-drug resistant chip will be launched by next July, while the macro chip for respiratory illness will be rolled out by November 2010,” Mr B.V. Ravi Kumar, Managing Director of XCyton Diagnostics, told Business Line on the sidelines of the International Knowledge Millennium Conference here.

Disease testing

The company has come out with an eye infection detecting macrochip kit, which can take a sample, prepare DNA and amplify it in six hours. “There is a huge requirement for critical infectious diseases testing, the market for which is pegged at $2 billion worldwide. Though there is no concrete study on the domestic market, our internal survey puts the demand for such services at Rs 200 crore,” he said.

The company is scouting for partners that can help it market the products both domestically and globally.

It is also developing a high-end kit to detect septicaemia, a life-threatening condition that infects the blood leading to multiple organ failure. The test is expected to enter clinical trials in the mid-2010.

The septicaemia kit is one of the three multiplex tests that XCyton is developing with a Rs 6.7-crore soft finance under the CSI NMITLI (New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative). The other two are for detecting antibiotic resistance and acute encephalitis.

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