K J Somaiya Hospital develops 10-Minute tests to bridge India’s haemophilia diagnosis gap

On the occasion of World Haemophilia Day, on 17 April, Mumbai-based K J Somaiya Hospital announced the development of three rapid diagnostic tests designed to detect and monitor haemophilia in just 5 to 10 minutes, bringing speed, affordability, and accessibility to a space that has long struggled with delays and limitations.

In India, while approximately 26,000 patients are registered with haemophilia, the estimated number is closer to 1,00,000. Nearly three out of four individuals remain undiagnosed, often discovering the condition only after severe or repeated bleeding episodes.

The newly developed tests include a rapid test for detecting Factor VIII inhibitors, a latex agglutination-based test for Factor VIII antibodies, and a point-of-care test to measure emicizumab drug levels.

With these tests moving towards wider availability, diagnosis can be completed within 10–15 minutes at an estimated cost of Rs 100 to Rs 150, compared to conventional methods that take 4 to 6 hours and cost up to Rs 15,000, without requiring specialised laboratory infrastructure.

Addressing the challenges in coagulation diagnostics infrastructure, Dr Shrimati Shetty, Director – Laboratory Haematology & Clinical Research, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre, said, “There is an acute shortage of coagulation laboratories in the country. A comprehensive laboratory should be able to diagnose not only haemophilia but all types of bleeding disorders. Yet, maintaining such infrastructure—from ultracold storage to quality control—is complex. Innovations like these rapid diagnostics have the potential to transform access, bringing timely and reliable testing closer to patients.”