TDB Backs Odisha Startup’s Proflo-U for Early Kidney & Pregnancy Risk Detection

Chronic Kidney Disease is emerging as a major public health challenge in India, with over two lakh patients estimated to be added annually to the end-stage renal disease category.

In a major boost to India’s drive for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and affordable, technology-enabled healthcare, the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology has signed a financial assistance agreement with M/s Prantae Solutions Private Limited, Odisha, to support manufacturing and commercialisation of Proflo-U, an innovative point-of-care diagnostic platform for kidney health assessment.

The project, titled “Manufacturing and Commercialization of Renal Care Innovative Diagnostic Product: Proflo-U for Point-of-Care Kidney Health Assessment,” aims to enable early detection and monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and pregnancy-related complications at the primary healthcare level.

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Addressing a Growing Kidney Disease Burden

Chronic Kidney Disease is emerging as a major public health challenge in India, with over two lakh patients estimated to be added annually to the end-stage renal disease category.

Early diagnosis through biomarkers such as:

• Urine Albumin

• Urine Creatinine

• Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (ACR)

is critical, particularly for high-risk groups including:

• Patients with diabetes

• Individuals with hypertension

• The elderly population

These biomarkers are also vital for early identification of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, and are included in the ICMR essential diagnostics list for antenatal care.

However, access to reliable quantitative testing remains limited at primary healthcare centres, as:

• Gold-standard immunoturbidometric methods are confined to laboratories

• Conventional dipstick tests lack sensitivity in early diagnostic ranges

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Proflo-U: An Indigenous Point-of-Care Breakthrough

To bridge this diagnostic gap, Prantae Solutions has developed Proflo-U, a patented, indigenous diagnostic platform combining laboratory-grade accuracy with point-of-care simplicity.

Proflo-U comprises:

Urine Albumin Measurement Kit

A nano-sensor based in vitro diagnostic device supported by three granted Indian patents (Nos. 360496, 308432, 543714) and one PCT application (PCT/IN2023/050508).

• Detection range: 20–1200 mg/L

• Stable at ambient temperature

Urine Creatinine Measurement Kit

An in vitro diagnostic kit with:

• Detection range: 150–4000 mg/L

• Room temperature stability

Portable Urine Analyzer

A lightweight, rechargeable analyzer integrating absorbance and fluorescence technologies.

Key features include:

• Patent-granted indigenous design

• Bluetooth and IoT connectivity

• Integration with Proflo-U mobile application

• AI/ML-enabled analytics

• Calibration-free functionality

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Manufacturing Scale-Up in Odisha

The project envisions establishing a manufacturing and commercialisation facility in Odisha to scale production and expand accessibility across:

• Primary Health Centres (PHCs)

• Diagnostic networks

• Antenatal care systems

The product has been rigorously validated against gold-standard clinical methods and is designed for last-mile deployment.

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Strengthening Affordable Diagnostics at the Last Mile

Speaking at the signing, Shri Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, said the support reflects the Board’s commitment to strengthening indigenous diagnostic capabilities.

“Point-of-care innovations such as Proflo-U have the potential to significantly reduce disease burden through early detection and timely intervention, thereby contributing to improved public health outcomes and reduced healthcare expenditure,” he said.

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Startup Vision Aligned with Aatmanirbhar Bharat

The founders of Prantae Solutions expressed gratitude for TDB’s support, stating that the assistance will accelerate manufacturing and nationwide deployment of Proflo-U.

They noted that the partnership validates their translational biotechnology research and strengthens their mission to deliver affordable, reliable, and technology-driven healthcare solutions aligned with India’s self-reliance vision.

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A Step Forward for Preventive Healthcare in India

With CKD cases rising and pregnancy-related complications requiring early screening, Proflo-U represents a significant step toward expanding preventive healthcare and strengthening diagnostic access at the grassroots.

The initiative underscores India’s growing emphasis on home-grown med-tech innovation, affordable diagnostics, and stronger primary healthcare systems.