Hyderabad, September 1, 2020: Mapmygenome announces the launch of a new product Covisafe™, a collection kit for COVID diagnostic testing. CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology validated and certified the kit to be as per ICMR protocols.

The kit consists of a nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab which, post sampling, is placed in a stabilizing solution containing RNAShield™ a proprietary US FDA approved reagent from US based Zymo Research. The solution effectively inactivates the virus (it is also bacteriostatic and fungistatic), without compromising the integrity of DNA/RNA. The reagent does not interfere with the downstream process and need not be removed from the sample, before or during RNA extraction. Recognizing the unique cultural needs of India, Mapmygenome is committed to providing COVID-19 reagents and collection kits that DO NOT USE bovine or swine derived ingredients.

The Covisafe kit from Mapmygenome poses significant advantages over other COVID sampling kits which use Viral Transport Media (VTM) due to the following reasons:

1. Since the virus is rendered ineffective right after sampling, there is minimal risk to the healthcare providers and staff after the sample is collected.
2. Samples collected in the Covisafe kit can be transported safely at ambient temperatures and do not require cold-chain transport.
3. The viral samples remain stable for prolonged periods of time, and can be kept for up to 30 days at temperatures below 25°C, unlike samples collected in VTM, which need to be transported to the testing lab on the same day.
4. Covisafe offers some benefits during lab processing as well. Samples collected in these kits are not vulnerable to degradation during multiple freeze-thaw cycles, unlike VTM samples. The Covisafe kit can be used directly in the lab (no preprocessing needed to remove the stabilizer reagent) and is compatible with RNA extraction kits from standard providers such as Roche, Qiagen, ThermoFisher, etc.

Mapmygenome CEO Ms. Anu Acharya said, “Scaling up is the need of the hour and India needs more and more testing laboratories to churn out tests every day. Not only does the Covisafe kit reduce infection from live virus, it saves significant costs in terms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), cold-chain logistics, and downstream processing.”

Crown Global Biotech, Zymo Research’s global partner said, “We are very excited by this partnership with Mapmygenome.  The kits will be manufactured and sold by Mapmygenome, who is the sole distributor for RNAShield in India.  Kits using RNAShield are far superior to current VTM kits available in the Indian market.”

About Mapmygenome

Mapmygenome® is India’s largest personal genomics company that encourages people to be proactive about their health. Mapmygenome offers personalized health solutions based on genetic tests that help people get to understand their genetic selves. By combining genetic health profiles, health history, and genetic counselling, Mapmygenome provides actionable steps for individuals to lead healthier lives.

Founded in 2013, Mapmygenome started as India’s pioneering Personal Genomics Company with a vision to “Touch 100 million lives and save a million lives by 2030.” Mapmygenome’s teams at Hyderabad, Delhi & Mumbai comprise biotechnologists, statisticians, geneticists, bioinformaticians, and medical counsellors. Mapmygenome has analyzed thousands of samples from all over India and various countries and has provided personalized genetic reports that have been used in early detection of disease and increased quality of life.

Mapmygenome was among the first private diagnostic labs to receive approval from Telangana State Government for COVID-19 testing. Their lab analyzes samples for SARS-CoV-2 from walk-in customers, healthcare partners, home collections, and corporate clients.

For more information, visit www.mapmygenome.in.

About Zymo Research and Crown Global Biotech

Crown Global Biotech and Zymo Research are privately owned partner companies that has been serving the scientific community with state-of-the-art molecular biology tools. “The Beauty of Science is to Make Things Simple” is their motto, which is reflected in every product they produce, from their epigenetics to DNA/RNA purification technologies. Historically recognized as the leader in epigenetics, Zymo Research is breaking boundaries with novel solutions for sample collection, microbiomic measurements, and NGS technologies that are high quality and simple to use. To learn more visit www.zymoresearch.com.