In a major effort to prevent Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTIs), global pharma major, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc. through its local distributor has inked a pact with Karnataka government to adopt Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) to help shorten the window period between infection and detection.

NAT is not available in Karnataka government hospitals and in-order to prevent TTIs among the economically backward patients, Novartis Diagnostics, the blood testing business of the global major has installed NAT test unit at the Blood Bank in Bowring & Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore. All blood samples tested at the hospital including the ones carried out at other government medical units will be NAT confirmed.

Two out of 100 blood donations in India report TTI. There are around 8 million transfusions carried out annually and the age group above 70 years have 90 percent chances of contracting TTI. NAT is not mandatory because the country lacks a centralized National Blood Bank Authority, presence of a fragmented blood banks sector focusing on cheaper tests like ELISA, paucity of funding from Union government and National Aids Control Authority, according to experts.

Worldwide, of the 80 million blood donations, 60 million are tested for safe blood transfusion and the remaining 20 million are not tested. There is need for massive awareness to prevent HIV/AIDS, HCV, and HBV is easily transmitted through infected blood. Blood safety is critical going by the increasing blood donations to treat accident cases, cancer, and Thalassemia among other conditions.

“Karnataka government has been extremely receptive to adopt NAT and from here we will look at teaming up with more state governments to extend the initiative”, Peter Maag, president, diagnostics, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc. told Pharmabiz during an interaction.

The company is keen to offer NAT to the government hospitals where large numbers of patients come in for blood transfusion. Diseases ensuing out of infected blood are not just chronic but life threatening and are a major burden for poor patients. This is where NAT could ensure safe blood transfusion and its assay can detect TTIs accurately and quickly. “We have also taken on the onus to train the team here. Bowring Hospital model is easily scalable and we are looking forward to see many state governments take on a similar initiative”, he added.

According to Jean-Luc Devleeschauwer, vice president, Asia Pacific, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics(HK) Limited, the company has been looking at developing world to introduce NAT which will coexist with Elisa testing as the key intention is to screen and capture viruses in the blood after donations and before transfusions.

Currently, two major players in the NAT space are Novartis and Roche.  While it is difficult to define the size of the market , the company informed that going by the 2,600 blood banks in India and growing incidence of accidents, cancer and blood disorders, there is a promising future for NAT installations.

Early this year Novartis inked a definitive agreement to acquire Genoptix, Inc., a specialized lab offering providing personalized diagnostic services to community-based haematologists and oncologists. “With molecular diagnostics gaining ground, Novartis is focusing on research and development in this area and could even consider acquisitions of viable companies including those in India, stated Maag.