Immunochemistry – What to Watch Out For in 2018?

With the latest advancements, 3rd generation immunoassays for Transfusion Transmitted Infections are now giving way to the 4th generation assays, that are designed on parameters such as early detection, better sensitivity and specificity, reduction in infection rates, affordability, etc. - Ratan Shetty

The Indian IVD market is valued at more than USD 500 mn, and is expected to surpass USD 1.5 bn by 2018 growing at a steady CAGR of 15-16% annually*. Availability of disease specific tests and an increasing test menu, among other factors are contributing to this growth. In the current scenario, there is a rising demand for testing of hormone levels and other non-infectious bio-markers such as assays for autoimmune diseases, oncology and cardiac markers and tests for vitamins. This is in addition to the focus on diagnosis of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases like hepatitis, HIV, dengue, malaria, leptospirosis and chikungunya using both ELISA technique and rapid tests.

With the latest advancements, 3rd generation immunoassays for Transfusion Transmitted Infections are now giving way to the 4th generation assays, that are designed on parameters such as early detection, better sensitivity and specificity, reduction in infection rates, affordability, etc. The Chemiluminescence Immunoassays (CLIA) seems to be on a growth trajectory with their broad menu and excellent sensitivity and specificity. Manufacturers need to work on making these affordable in order to ensure a deep reach.

Besides this, emergence of new concepts such as point of care testing, testing formats such as microarrays are further contributing to the growth of this segment.

Rapid testing kits are becoming a preferred choice for their easy of usage and time taken to report results. Even this arena has seen a lot of development, with manufacturers now focusing on addressing issues of false positivity and negativity.

Screening for Transfusion Transmitted Infections is now being regularly conducted by corporate and chain labs, private hospitals and blood banks. Further, the government and private bodies are penetrating tier III & IV cities and towns, through PublicPrivate Partnerships.

Laboratories rely on factors such as a wide test menu, reliability of results, turnaround time, innovative technologies and affordability while choosing an immunochemistry testing system. Another important factor to consider is the after-sales support offered by the IVD companies. This is especially true in remote areas, where the prevalence of infectious diseases leads to an increased workload and inturn frequent breakdowns.

India’s Leading In-vitro Diagnostic Company, Transasia Bio-Medicals Ltd. continues to focus on timeless ELISA and IFAs, while introducing newer platforms like CLIA to cater to the growing needs of the labs and blood banks.


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