Indian startup wins the TSEC award for TB diagnostic tool

Posted on January 17, 2017

An Indian med – tech start-up has won the fifth edition of Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (TSEC) 2016-17, held at Kolkata on January 14^th, 2017. The Bengaluru – based startup called Pentavalent Bio Sciences Private Limited has won the award as well as Rs. 2.5 lakh cash prize that goes with it. The startup has developed an innovative diagnostic tool using a novel in-house Flap Cut technology that detects TB in patients and helps doctors prescribe patient – specific antibiotics for treatment. Excited by the award given to her startup, founder Bhargavi said, “This exposure was really required. The jury’s input and mentoring helped us a lot in improving our business model. Initially it was only us who believed in our product, but Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (TSEC) helped us to believe that our product can reach the end user.” Read more on Medical Startups

This year’s (2017) edition of the challenge, received over 600 applications from across India, out of which, 214 startups met all the eligibility criteria and moved on to the next round of the competition. The startups were judged on three parameters –business model, social impact and sustainability. Currently there are two common methods of diagnosing TB: gene pert method and the other method by doing sputum test that is done through isolating the TB bacteria. However, in the isolation test, the bacterial growth takes minimum of eight weeks and both these methods are time consuming. Pentavalent Bio Sciences Private Limited’s diagnostic method, using Flap Cut technology is much more fast and effective. Hence, based on symptoms, first line of treatment is administered on patients, suspected of TB. “Our technology has breached the time barrier and will help in diagnosis within a stipulated time of around 4 hours and at the same time it will help to diagnose ten antibiotic susceptibilities that in future, will help with better TB treatment and also reduce the number of patients suffering from Multiple Drug Resistant (MDR) TB”, said Bhargavi.

Every patient is unique and requires early and unique treatment for TB. Detecting TB in the early stages will better the chances of curing it. Pentavalent Bio Sciences Private Limited’s innovative and fast TB diagnostic method helps in this regard. Their diagnostic method which uses the Flap – Cut technology can detect TB in just four hours as opposed to the time of eight weeks taken by commonly used diagnostic methods. They also give a unique antibiotic for the desease to each patient, which betters the chances on curing his or her TB. Overall, it’s a very innovative, fast and useful TB diagnostic method developed by Pentavalent Bio Sciences Private Limited which will help save many lives. The Government of India should fund, promote and incubate more of such useful and innovative startups. Read more on Startup News