Rapid test for antimicrobial resistance in infections launched in Guntur

ICU patients with drug-resistant infections can now get targeted antibiotic therapy within three hours, with the launch of a NABL-accredited Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) PCR panel by Guntur-based Ipseity Diagnostics and Research.

While conventional culture methods take 48 to 72 hours, the molecular test, launched on World Health Day, can identify resistance markers such as CTX-M, SHV/TEM, ampC, KPC, NDM, OXA-48, mecA, and vanA/vanB within three hours.

Speaking at a press conference in Guntur on Tuesday (April 7, 2026), Kalyan Chakravarthy Koganti, chief medical officer (General Medicine) at the research centre, said the rapid turnaround would help clinicians take timely decisions in conditions such as sepsis, pneumonia, and ICU-related infections. “Unlike conventional culture methods that take 48 to 72 hours, this PCR-based test delivers fast and usable results, which is vital when every minute matters,” he said.

The AMR PCR panel forms part of the company’s infectious disease diagnostic suite, which includes panels for sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and meningitis, all with AMR profiling suited to Indian clinical needs.

Sandeep Kumar Nadendla, chief executive officer of the Ipseity Group of Companies, said similar technologies were earlier available only through European and U.S. firms. The indigenous test would cut costs by nearly 70%, he said.