JAKARTA - In the situation of increasing positive numbers of COVID-19 per day, PT Kalbe Farma Tbk (KLBF) continues to innovate to help the government conduct COVID-19 testing. To increase the number of COVID-19 testing, Kalbe through its subsidiary KalGen Innolab offers COVID-19 testing innovations using the RT Lamp Saliva method or using saliva samples.
The RT LAMP (Reverse Transcription Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) method can specifically detect nucleic acids which are the genetic material of the SARS CoV-2 virus. RT LAMP is a molecular test that belongs to the NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) category along with RT–PCR and TCM
"Kalbe hopes that the COVID-19 testing innovation with the RT LAMP Saliva method can help accelerate the testing program currently being activated by the government," said Hari Nugroho, Head of External Communication of PT Kalbe Farma Tbk.
"The accuracy of the RT Lamp test with saliva samples is also high, with a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 98%," said Akterono, D Budiyati, IVD Division Research Manager Stem Cell and Cancer Institute, a subsidiary of Kalbe who conducted the RT Lamp Saliva research.
The RT Lamp examination in Indonesia itself has been served by the KalGen Innolab Clinical Laboratory under the InnoLAMP brand which serves the general public or as a reference from collaborating health facilities, especially for the Greater Jakarta area.
Currently, the cost of RT Lamp Saliva is IDR 420 thousand, and the results can be received in 9 hours. Although currently the RT Lamp Saliva examination has received a distribution permit from the Ministry of Health, because it uses the molecular detection method or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) with RT-LAMP technology such as RT-PCR, unfortunately the RT Lamp Saliva examination is still in the process of obtaining approval as a travel requirement document. (LM)