Mylab, firm that makes kits to detect Covid, starts pathology test facility

Mylab Discovery Solutions, a biotech company backed by Serum Institute of India (SII), on Thursday started a pathology tests centre in Pune as it considers providing diagnostic services

The long-term plans include providing imaging solutions like X-ray, said Hasmukh Rawal, managing director of the Pune-based company, which is credited with developing India’s first indigenous Sars-CoV-2 RT-PCR and the first rapid-antigen home test kit.

 “We are now getting to ‘wet’ pathology tests like blood tests etc and we have set up a centre which will have minimal human intervention and maximum automation. The idea is to have the entire gamut of tests under the Mylab umbrella,” Rawal told 'Business Standard'.

Spread over 42,000 square feet, the pathology centre will have research capabilities for scientists and engineers. It will have more than 450 employees --70 per cent being research scientists. “It is the only centre in India that will develop and commercialize pioneering diagnostic innovations in diverse fields including molecular, serology, immunology, Automation, Robotics, AI based diagnostic solutions, devices and biosensors,” Mylab said.

“The Centre will pave the way for the development of new generation diagnostics that will address clinical unmet needs and increase patient access to quality diagnostics in the world,” said Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman and managing director of SII.

In February, Mylab said it is working on two or three technology platforms for Covid19 vaccines. Vaccine production would start at its partner Shilpa Biological’s Dharwad site in March. Mylab plans to start by making and marketing a Covid19 vaccine. The company plans to make biologic drugs too, and is currently working on a few molecules.

Earlier this month, Mylab launched the country’s first combined RT-PCR test kit for monsoon diseases. The test can detect and differentiate between malaria, Chikungunya, dengue, Zika, Leptospirosis and Salmonellosis bacterial species, and Leishmaniasis parasites.