Hyderabad-based totally Livo's blood analyser device eliminates the use of reagent and presents CBP and virtual morphology reports in mins to doctors
Livo claims the manner of accumulating the blood pattern to processing and reporting takes approximately eight mins, compared to 24 hours beneath traditional methods
Post-Covid, Livo stated that it will likely be operating on extending the tech for early diagnosis of other sicknesses such as cervical cancer, breast cancer
One barrier to factor-of-care or lab testing in India seems unsurmountable — we're speaking about the time taken. Getting a blood check report executed — that is one of the first matters that doctors recommend when one is stricken by any sort of sickness or disease — may be cumbersome. If the Covid-19 pandemic has added this into sharp recognition, the truth is that this is the truth for maximum situations today, which contain a whole blood picture (CBP) evaluation, along with renal sicknesses, malaria, dengue and chikungunya among others.
Once the document is ready, medical doctors will then be able to signify vital remedy and medical care required.
While traditionally, the entire CBP file method takes approximately an afternoon, an RT-PCR test for sicknesses like Covid-19 takes approximately 48 hours to complete. While the remedies and healthcare infrastructure seem to be digitising at a fast pace, the device used to test the blood or body fluid remains archaic.
Sharing the bitter reality, clinical devices startup Livo cofounder Dr Junaid Shaik advised cft that there are about 2 Lakh diagnostic centres/hematology labs and 20-25K pathologists in India and a majority of them are nonetheless using conventional blood analysis gadgets which might be time eating. Plus, the use of reagents within the method limits the devices to test extra samples as reagents expires with the aid of quit of the month whether or not the device uses them or now not, he brought, which was highlighted critically at some point of the continuing Covid-19 disaster.
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Hyderabad-primarily based Livo claims to have developed a ultra-modern blood analyser tool that no longer simplest offers the records of blood count and gets rid of using reagents, however additionally gives out the morphology report of blood mobile (RBC, WBC & Platelets). The 3-D parameters and morphology document of the cell is of notable price, because it enables medical doctors perceive abnormalities in the cellular shape, and also it has the ability to distinguish cancer cells.
Shaik added that Livo’s blood evaluation tool permits the of completion of the complete process of collecting the pattern to reporting in pretty much eight minutes, that's much less than 1/2 the time it takes to even prepare a slide with the sample in the traditional procedure.
Typically, a blood count achieved with the aid of drift cytometry offers out ‘Count data’ of crimson blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin, platelets matter. And primarily based on the rely, doctors may be able to diagnose infection and advise medical remedies. Semi-automating the complete manner, Livo cuts down at the time taken. “In the manner, we realised that our Livo AutoSmearer and Livo HemaStainer itself is quite particular, not anything like within the Indian market” emphasised Shaik
Livo AutoSmearer
Livo AutoSmearer is a medical tool that is used to collect the blood pattern, and may be smeared at the microscope slide with a push of a button. A Haematology Stain, however, stains the sample, in which the blood smear slide is typically placed in a coplin jar with leishman or wright stain for 8 – 10 mins and then washed before its ready for microscopy. With Livo AutoStainer (having a changed Wright-Giemsa stain) Blood smear is stained, washed and ready for microscopy evaluation in ninety seconds
Livo HemaStainer
It has to be noted that the same Livo A700 device also can be used as a pap smear analyser, a take a look at performed to screen for cervical cancer that's the second one maximum not unusual cancer located in Indian girls, Shaik introduced.
Accuracy, Accessibility & Affordability
When it involves scientific analysis devices, accuracy is the most important challenge. In phrases of accuracy of the reports, the organisation stated that it leverages synthetic intelligence and device learning gear to test hundreds of microscopic pix to provide correct consequences. Livo claimed to have run scientific trials on three hundred sufferers/instances, and said that its reports are ninety six%+ accurate, and all its devices are CE and ISO 13485:2016 certified.
Citing the new scientific tool directives, the company stated that it has also applied for In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR), which will be effective from May 26, 2022 onwards. In addition to this, it's far in the method of having no objection certificates (NOC) from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after they have categorised Livo A700 as unregulated device below India’s new clinical device regulations (MDR) 2017.
In terms of accessibility, Livo claimed that its devices are smooth to perform and may be handy throughout far off places, specifically in Tier 3, Tier 4 and Tier five towns/cities as it has constructed the era capabilities within the tool.
Furthermore, ensuring its devices also are low-cost, Livo’s blood smearer and AutoStainer is priced at INR 1.15 Lakh, and has also provide you with a apartment model in which diagnostic centres, labs and clinics can lease its gadgets for INR 2-2.5K in keeping with month. “If you want to buy blood smearer and strainer within the Indian market, the cheapest ones fee about 2.5 Lakh, and we have reduced the fee through greater than 50%,” knowledgeable Shaik.
Livo said that it plans to charge its clients most effective the producing price of the device, because it believes in preserving the margins low, given the extent of the business, and appears to earn MoM ordinary sales from subscription. Also, the agency stated that each one its gadgets are regionally synthetic (in partnership with local CNC carriers) and are assembled in-house.
Founded with the aid of Dr Junaid Shaik, Faisal Sheikh, Prof. Prasanth Kumar in 2018, Livo has been in the system of product improvement for the past few years. Shaik told cft that it has acquired 25 preorders and Livo these days closed a distribution deal of 800 gadgets from southern Indian states, including Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Backed by healthtech-focussed angel traders and industrialists such as Ravi Reddy, Dr Praveen Kumar and others, the organization has raised a complete of $366K in investment, with a maximum recent spherical at 100 Cr valuation.
How This Hyderabad Startup Automated Blood Analysis To Complete Testing In Minutes Instead Of Days
At present, Livo competes with the likes of Sight Diagnostics, Cellavision, Roche, 1Drop Diagnostics, Arivale among others. According to MarketWatch, the point-of-care diagnostics market is projected to attain $forty six.7 Bn by 2024 from $28.5 Bn in 2019, developing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.Four%.
Livo instructed cft that it presently positions itself otherwise in terms of its 0 reagent, low price and on-web page virtual morphology file, in comparison to other competition inside the area, where their devices are high-priced, time-ingesting and haven't any way of giving a morphology record without an onsite pathologist.
Testing In The Times Of Covid-19
Incidentally, Livo had plans to launch its products (blood smearer, stainer and scanner) into the market in April. But, due to the disruption inside the supply chain led by using Covid-19, the corporation needed to postpone its release to the second one week of August, and its operations got here to a stand nevertheless.
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However, throughout the pandemic times, the corporation utilised its resources correctly to paintings on its upcoming products, a pathology scanner referred to as Livo A-1000. The device does greater than simply experiment the pattern and bring virtual reviews, said Shaik, fascinatingly.
How This Hyderabad Startup Automated Blood Analysis To Complete Testing In Minutes Instead Of Days
Livo A700 Blood & Pap Smear Analyser
He said that this new device has the capabilities to proportion and ship virtual slides over to remote pathologists via cloud. “We have evolved a platform, which follows a neat workflow and ensures the whole technique is easy. Also, we have used device learning gear, which stitches heaps of photos and detects extraordinary cells and raises a crimson flag right now,” Shaik stated, adding that this will greatly enhance the accuracy of the report offer clean get admission to to pathologists, trendy physicians and gynecologists.
Livo’s new device is priced at INR 3.Five Lakh, which the founder claimed turned into one of the USPs. “Again, the most inexpensive scanner within the marketplace could price approximately INR 6-9 Lakh, except for other functions that comes with our device,” introduced Shaik.
Currently, the company continues to be inside the pre-revenue stage, and within the coming days, Livo stated that it will likely be partnering with of India’s biggest hematology stain and microscope manufacturers to similarly raise its production potential. Also, the business enterprise could be taking part with IIT Hyderabad and IIIT Nuzvid for studies and development paintings, delivered the founder.
“In the approaching months, we will be coming up with more than one use instances, together with semen evaluation, histopath, breast cancer, liver cancer, oral cancer cell detection, and so on. This is all the place to begin for us. In reality, we're already working on cervical cancer, and within the coming days, we are able to start operating on breast cancer.”
