Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday inaugurated the new one lakh sq ft state-of-the-art equipment manufacturing facility of Agappe Diagnostics Ltd., India’s leading In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) manufacturer at Infopark.
In his address, the Chief Minister underscored the transformative role of Kerala’s industrial sector. Recognized recently as the top State in India for ease of doing business rankings, he said Kerala continues to attract significant investment and innovation.
The Chief Minister also unveiled the first “Make in India” In-Vitro Biomarkers using CLEIA (Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay) technology, a diagnostic equipment developed by Agappe in partnership with Fujirebio Holdings Inc., Japan.
Agappe, a globally renowned name in diagnostics, marks 29 years of excellence. With products and services utilized by 75,000 customers across 90 countries, Agappe is dedicated to making advanced diagnostic technology accessible to the common man at an affordable cost.
P. Rajeeve, the State Industries Minister, highlighted the achievements of the State’s medical devices industry. Although it constitutes just 6 per cent of the national sector, it contributes a remarkable 20 per cent to the industry’s overall turnover.
This accomplishment is notable given Kerala’s modest size: It represents only 1.2 per cent of the country’s land area and houses 2.8 per cent of its population.
Thomas John, Managing Director of Agappe Diagnostics said the expansion complements Agappe’s existing reagent unit in Pattimattom and its first equipment manufacturing unit at Kinfra, Nellad. The new unit has the potential to boost local employment and provide world-class equipment manufacturing.
The latest diagnostic tools enable the early detection of critical diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and gastrointestinal disorders. This could significantly slow neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s patients through medication and lifestyle changes, delaying the onset of the disease.
In the realm of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD), CLEIA technology plays a crucial role in screening, early detection, monitoring disease progression, and guiding personalized treatments. Its application in oncology, for instance, can greatly enhance survival rates through early cancer marker detection, Thomas John said.