In a major stride towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated two new indigenously developed diagnostic tools that promise to enhance India’s testing capacity, cut costs, and expand access to timely detection.
Enhancing Early and Accurate Detection
Early, accurate, and universal detection remains the cornerstone of India’s TB elimination strategy. Rapid identification of patients allows timely initiation of treatment and helps break the chain of community transmission. The newly validated tools—Quantiplus MTB FAST detection kit and UniAMP MTB Nucleic Acid Test Card—are set to strengthen this mission.
Quantiplus MTB FAST: A Cost-Effective, Open-System PCR Kit
Developed by Huwel Lifesciences in Telangana, the Quantiplus MTB FAST detection kit is the first open system RT-PCR assay validated for lung TB detection. Unlike conventional proprietary systems, this kit can operate on any existing PCR machine, enabling laboratories across India to conduct rapid molecular TB tests without investing in specialized equipment.
Moreover, Quantiplus can process up to 96 samples simultaneously, significantly improving testing throughput. Designed for sputum samples, the kit could reduce TB testing costs by nearly 80%, according to early estimates. This innovation empowers public health laboratories to scale up operations affordably, making advanced molecular diagnostics more accessible across the country.
UniAMP MTB: Non-Invasive Tongue Swab Testing
As reported by Business Standard, the second validated innovation, UniAMP MTB Nucleic Acid Test Card—also from Huwel Lifesciences—marks a breakthrough in patient-friendly diagnostics. For the first time, patients can be tested using simple, non-invasive tongue swabs instead of sputum samples, which are often difficult to collect, especially from children and the elderly.
This approach makes TB testing more comfortable and feasible for large-scale community screening, paving the way for doorstep diagnostics. By simplifying sample collection, it can expand the reach of early detection efforts and strengthen India’s fight against TB.
Accelerating Innovation and Access
Dr. Nivedita Gupta, Head of the Communicable Diseases Division at ICMR, emphasized the organization’s streamlined validation process. She said it ensures innovative TB diagnostics reach patients faster. “This effort reflects India’s resolve to strengthen indigenous research and innovation, close gaps in early detection and treatment, and ultimately move closer to eliminating TB as a public health challenge,” she said.
These new tools complement existing platforms like Truenat and PathoDetect, which decentralize high-precision Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT). Together, they can reduce diagnostic delays and improve treatment outcomes for both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB cases.
A Step Toward Affordable, Scalable TB Control
The validation of these innovations underscores the government’s commitment to building a robust domestic scientific ecosystem. India is integrating laboratory-based systems, decentralised molecular testing, and non-sputum diagnostics. This approach aims to make TB testing faster, cheaper, and more widely available.
If deployed at scale, these homegrown technologies could be true gamechangers. They would bring the country closer to ending tuberculosis as a public health threat.