C-CAMP: Boosting startups developing impactful COVID-19 innovations

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Team Careers360 | April 29, 2020 | 03:48 PM IST

NEW DELHI: A group of startups, aided by the Union government is in the forefront of developing impactful innovations to halt the march of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, or C-CAMP, an initiative of the department of biotechnology under the ministry of science and technology, is supporting these start-ups.

C-CAMP is handholding innovations in categories such as rapid diagnostics, assisted respiratory devices, novel therapeutic approaches and cold-chain viral transport media, among others.

Many of the products are available in the market for use by healthcare workers and public health professionals to address the concerns of COVID-19 patients. Some of these start-ups include CoSara, Huwel, Coeo Labs, Blackfrog, and Innaumation.

CoSara Diagnostics

CoSara Diagnostics, based in Vadodara, has developed a COVID-19 test kit. It is the first Indian company to get a manufacturing license from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and has a capacity to produce 10,000 kits a day. Costing a fraction of imported kits, this low-cost indigenous kit gives results in two and a half hours.

The “Logix Smart™ Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) test kit” uses “a co-primer based accurate and rapid RT-PCR test for confirmatory diagnosis”. The test kit is based on technology that has already received approval in the US. It has also received worldwide emergency use approval from Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).

Huwel Lifesciences Pvt Ltd

Huwel Lifesciences Pvt Ltd, based in Hyderabad, has developed a COVID-19 detection kit. The “Quantiplus coronavirus (2019nCoV) detection kit” uses an affordable made-in-India RT-PCR test for rapid diagnosis. It has been approved by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and validated by National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI). Already deployed in the field, this indigenous detection kit can handle large volumes of samples and give quick results.

COEO Labs

COEO Labs, based in Bangalore, has developed “VAP-Care”, which is an automated oral hygiene maintenance system that prevents ventilator-associated secondary infections. It will prevent the secondary infections that may arise because of intubation in the critically ill COVID-19 patients. It also “minimises the risk of direct exposure to the virus for healthcare workers”.

Coeo Labs has also developed “Saans Pro” which is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. It can be used as an alternative to conventional intubated ventilators. This is especially beneficial when ventilators are scarce. CPAP machine has already received US’ FDA approval for use as a ‘bridge’ or interim ventilator. It can be easily administered even without a skilled workforce, if required. It is already deployed in the field.

Both products - VAP-Care and Saans Pro - are currently being used in hospitals in Andhra Pradesh. The products have also attracted interest from many countries in Europe as well as the USA.

Blackfrog

Blackfrog, based in Manipal, has developed “Emvolio”, a portable refrigerator to carry samples. This “portable battery-operated medical grade refrigerator” can be used to transport viral swab samples, medical-grade specimens and vaccines. The refrigerator has in-built temperature regulation between 2 to 8 degrees C for up to 12 hours. Equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Internet of Things (IoT) enabled for tracking and monitoring, these refrigerators can be used to transport viral samples from rural and remote locations to testing centres. Currently, it is in pilot deployment in Udupi District Hospital.

Innaumation

Innaumation, based in Bengaluru, is working on “convalescent plasma therapy” for treatment of COVID-19. While there is no known therapy for SARS-Cov2 yet, many countries are testing this therapy for treatment of COVID-19. This experimental treatment has been permitted for use in clinical trials in various Indian states by ICMR and is showing encouraging results. Innaumation has a tie-up with HCG hospitals to implement the therapy.1588154868995

All these startups are supported by C-CAMP COVID-19 Innovations Deployment Accelerator (C-CIDA). C-CIDA has been recently launched by C-CAMP to serve as a COVID-19 dedicated accelerator platform.

Aiming to identify and fast-track ready-to-deploy innovations, C-CIDA is a multi-partner coalition of several Indian and global industry and investor bodies including Social Alpha, United Nations Health Innovation Exchange or UNIHIE, MedTechConnect, Xynteo India2022, AIC-CCMB, CCMB, India Health Fund, PATH, Action Covid-19 Team or ACT and 91 Springboard.

C-CIDA has already attracted about 1100 applications in around four weeks.

CoSara Diagnostics, Huwel Lifesciences Pvt Ltd, Coeo Labs, Blackfrog and Innaumation were handpicked by C-CIDA “for support through industry and government channels towards speedy on-ground implementation.”

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