LifeCell Launches Comprehensive Drug Resistance Tuberculosis Test – Omega TB in partnership with HaystackAnalytics
- An opportune time for LifeCell to foray into genetic testing for TB
- Collaboration to bring the groundbreaking TB testing solution further closer to the patients
- Launched in partnership with HaystackAnalytics, ΩTB® (pronounced as Omega TB) is a whole genome sequencing test that aims to tackle the growing challenge of drug resistance in TB patients through accurate detection in just 10-12 days
National, December 8th 2022: LifeCell, one of India’s leading comprehensive healthcare solutions providers to day announced the launch of a revolutionary genetic test – ΩTB® (pronounced as Omega TB) in partnership wi th HaystackAnalytics, a genomics based health-tech startup. The collaboration marks LifeCell’s foray into the genetic testing industry for TB patients.
The whole genome-sequencing test, designed by Haystack Analytics, aims to tackle the looming challenge of dr ug resistance. Apart from this the test also helps in treating and preventing the spread of tuberculosis (TB) by pr oviding timely, affordable and accurate diagnosis. The current culture and molecular tests providing limited inf ormation can take up to weeks for results. ΩTB® is a single test that identifies all diagnostic information on TB infections. The test screens resistance of 18 listed antibiotics and shares results in just 10-12 days. The ΩTB® was launched on June by our Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi at BIRAC’s Biotech Startup Expo 2022 in New Delhi.
Commenting on this launch, Mr. Mayur Abhaya, Managing Director & CEO, LifeCell India said, “The launch of this comprehensive genomic analysis and expert-based testing will reshape the landscape of TB testing and diagnosis in the preventive healthcare segment. LifeCell strives to foray into many such path-breaking diagnostic tests that will help clin icians to serve their patients better with precise diagnosis and timely treatment. We are happy to join hands with Hayst ackAnalytics and bring this test to the market. We are confident that this will transform the care and treatment services for TB patients.”
Harnessing the power of next-gen Medtech like genome sequencing, with the government and fraternity’s supp ort, Dr. Anirvan Chatterjee, Co-Founder, and CEO of HaystackAnalytics said, “Given leading developing economies like the UK have transitioned to TB WGS a long time back, I had the opportunity to develop the test during my time at Ox ford University. We are glad to partner with a leading healthcare player, LifeCell. We share a common goal of bringing wo rld-class facilities and technologically advanced tests to improve the overall healthcare industry in India. I am conf ident that will enable our clinicians to deliver treatments more efficiently through this test.”
LifeCell’s WGS in collaboration with HaystackAnalytics can identify low-frequency resistance mutations and heterogeneous resistance with greater sensitivity. Moreover, WGS is also well-known in predicting resistant ph enotypes against anti-TB drugs, designing optimum personalized treatment regimen, thereby enhancing favor able treatment outcomes in TB endemic settings. Apart from this, antibiotics such as EMB and PZA genotypic methods are also preferred since phenotypic methods may be more unreliable.
With the launch of this affordable genome sequence analysis test, clinicians and patients will have access to one of the most powerful assessment tools to get vital insights and directions. This will help in early prevention and screening of a critical disease like TB. Affordable rates are available for these tests.
About LifeCell – LifeCell Diagnostics, a division of LifeCell Inter national, operates a pan-India network of CAP accredited / NAB L certified laboratories, with a comprehensive menu of 3200+ tes ts including specialized areas like Reproductive Health, Transpl antation, Oncology, etc., and serving the needs of Clinicians, Hos pitals, Acad emic Centers, and Corporates.
LifeCell Diagnostics is committed towards improving health out comes for individuals and families by providing preventive and definitive diagnosis as applicable. Towards that Lif eCell has led by innovation launching several first to market tests, utilised the power of advanced sciences such as Genomics, and leveraged scale to offer fas ter turnaround and affordable prices.
About Haystack Analytics: HaystackAnalytics is an IIT Bombay, Mumbai based health-tech company, initially fu nded by grants from Department of Science & Technology and BIRAC, Government of India, and backed by heal thcare veterans like Dr. Velumani. They build, validate and offer tests that accurately identify the condition of th e patient. To make genomics data consumable for all general healthcare systems, they have managed to bring th e solutions directly to the users with their unique computing hardware, co-developed with Intel.
In a short span of time, HaystackAnalytics has been able to secure a position in the healthcare ecosystem and ha ve become the ones who will co-create the future of healthcare in the country. The company has been honored with a few innovative healthcare startup awards including CAHO Tech- PitchFest for healthcare startups and HealthTech startup of the year by The Entrepreneur magazine . The HaystackAnalytics’s platform for rapid ide ntification of drug resistance in TB patients was recently launched by our Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi at BIRAC’s Biotech Startup Expo 2022 in New Delhi.
