In what could be a relief to diabetes patients, Pune-based biotech company Mylab Discovery Solutions will be partnering with a UK-based firm to develop a diabetic foot ulcer detection kit.
The MoU was on Monday signed between Mylab and DnaNudge, a pioneer of consumer genetics testing and medical diagnostics to develop next-generation molecular diagnostic solutions for diabetic foot ulcer detection and other key health conditions.
The novel diabetic foot ulcer detection kit will be the first of the many testing kits to be co-developed by the companies, an official statement has said.
Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, former Thailand prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Regius professor Chris Toumazou who is also the co-founder of DnaNudge and founder of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College, London, and Hasmukh Rawal, MD of Mylab were present on the occasion.
Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most common complications of patients who have diabetes mellitus. The patients are at risk of developing wounds that are often hard to heal, with an increased risk for infection leading to frequent hospitalization and in some cases, lower limb amputation.
The collaboration will help the 80-million diabetic population of India who faces the threat of limb amputation.
The diabetic foot ulcer detection kit is one of the world’s first point-of-decision molecular technology solutions, delivering early identification of the spectrum of microbial flora in the ulcer and supporting clinicians to plan appropriate antimicrobial therapy regimes. The test can identify the bacteria involved in the infection and provide molecular antimicrobial resistance (AMR) results in just over an hour. It helps doctors to determine which antibiotics will be optimally effective against these bacteria, enables more personalised treatment, and reduces the risk of AMR. The new kits will provide a key tool for the early initiation of therapy, which can play a pivotal role in the management of diabetic foot infections and delivering successful treatment outcomes.
“This partnership marks another milestone in our journey towards making cutting-edge molecular diagnostics available in the world. Together with DnaNudge’s deep expertise in point-of-care genetics testing technology, we will be able to present precise and high-quality diagnostic solutions within the reach of every person across the world,” Hasmukh Rawal, MD of Mylab, said.
