Dr. Lal PathLabs Launches Complement Testing Lab, Introduces First-of-Its-Kind Assays in India

The new facility is expected to strengthen early detection of autoimmune, kidney, and recurrent infection-related conditions, offering clinicians faster and more accurate diagnostic support.

Dr. Lal PathLabs (DLPL) has launched a specialised complement testing laboratory, introducing a set of globally benchmarked assays to India for the first time. 

The new facility is expected to strengthen early detection of autoimmune, kidney, and recurrent infection-related conditions, offering clinicians faster and more accurate diagnostic support.

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are being identified more frequently across the country, but patients often experience long diagnostic delays due to overlapping symptoms such as fever, joint pain, fatigue, swelling, or kidney-related complications. Many undergo multiple consultations before receiving a confirmed diagnosis. Complement testing helps address this gap by identifying abnormalities in the immune system much earlier in the disease course.

The complement system consists of blood proteins that help defend the body against infections, clear damaged cells, and safeguard vital organs. When this system is weakened, individuals—especially children—may become susceptible to severe or repeated infections. When overactive, it can trigger immune-mediated damage, contributing to disorders such as lupus, C3 glomerulopathy, atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, transplant-related complications, and severe inflammatory conditions, including sepsis.

Because complement pathways can malfunction in multiple ways, measuring specific proteins such as C3, C4, and C5 plays an important role in pinpointing whether the immune response is overactive, underactive, or defective. This information becomes critical for clinicians when evaluating complex or ambiguous cases of autoimmune and renal disease.

Dr Vandana Lal, Executive Director, Dr. Lal PathLabs, said the addition of functional and antibody-based complement assays addresses a longstanding diagnostic gap in India. “Complement testing has long been underrepresented in India’s diagnostic landscape. By introducing functional and antibody-based complement assays such as C1q, C5, Factor B, Factor H antibody, AH50, and C1 INH functional, many for the first time in the country, we are enabling earlier and more precise insights into immune-mediated disease,” she said.

CEO Shankha Banerjee noted that the platform expands access to specialised immunology diagnostics. The new Complement Laboratory is equipped with immunoturbidimetric and ELISA platforms and operates under CAP and NABL accreditation standards.

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