Indian Council of Medical Research has recently validated the LAMP technology for COVID-19 testing.

Question 1

What is RT-LAMP?

Answer 1

• RT-LAMP stands for Reverse Transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification) technology.
• Agappe Diagnostics has recently developed the technology indigenously, and their kit has been validated and approved by the ICMR for marketing.
• It is named LUME Screen nCoV.

Question 2

How does it work?

Answer 2

• RT-LAMP technology is a one-step nucleic acid amplification method to multiply specific sequences of RNA of the coronavirus.
• The RNA is first made into cDNA (copy DNA) by the usual reverse transcription. Then, the DNA is amplified by the LAMP technique.

Question 3

What are Benefits of LAMP over RT-PCR(i.e.current method)

Answer 3

• The LAMP technology is superior to the PCR technology–based COVID-19 kits where specificity is around 95% only.
• As the specificity and sensitivity of the test is about 95%, there is a possibility of false negative results.
• The turnaround time is about 10 hours, so that the result will be available only by the next day.

-In remote places, the turnaround time further increases depending on the distance the samples need to travel.
In short, the RT-PCR does not have the capacity to keep pace with the increasing demand.

-The LAMP technology does not need laborious preparation as in the case of RT-PCR. LAMP is cost effective and does not need complex expensive equipment.