The ongoing collaborative research programme between Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advance Scientific Research (JNASR), Bangalore for the development of diagnostic kits for HIV 1 and 2 is likely to be extended by a year.

The programme, partially funded by the department of science and technology through its Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research Programme, could also receive additional funding as the research was found to be promising, it is learnt.

The expert committee of DST is to look into the present status of the project and take appropriate decision. The BBIL-JNASR research has already completed 18 months.

The project is intended for optimizing the production procedure for cap Sid antigen capture assay, which could lead to cost-effective, import-substituting Elisa kits for HIV diagnosis. The total project cost was estimated as Rs 1.4 crore. While DST has chipped in Rs 60 lakh, BBIL met the remaining cost of the project. The Bangalore-based institute's contribution has come as its technological expertise.

The currently available HIV I and II diagnostic kits are all based on the antibodies. Since the development of antibodies takes time, the kits are not useful in knowing about the infection status in the early stages itself. The one developed as part of this joint programme is antigen-based and give instant results. It is meant for early diagnosis.

Indigenous HIV diagnostic kit development occupies a strategic place with the managements of all leading biotech companies in the country. Some three such products are already in the market and the potential of the Indian market is estimated to be huge. Two Delhi-based firms- J Mitra & Co and ACE Diagnostics- have already come out with indigenous kits.