India’s fight against tuberculosis (TB) has received a significant boost with the validation of two new indigenously developed diagnostic tools by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). These innovations promise to strengthen TB testing capacity across the country, offering faster, more cost-effective, and patient-friendly detection options.
New diagnostic tools for TB detection
One of the newly validated innovations is the Quantiplus MTB FAST detection kit, developed by Huwel Lifesciences in Telangana. This kit is the first open-system real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assay validated for lung TB detection in India. Unlike many existing tests that require specialized or proprietary equipment, Quantiplus can operate on any standard PCR machine, making it accessible to laboratories nationwide, including those without dedicated closed-system instruments.
By processing up to 96 samples simultaneously, Quantiplus enables rapid molecular TB testing on a much larger scale. The tool detects TB from sputum samples in adults and could greatly expand India’s testing capacity, helping deliver early and accurate diagnosis—the key to effective treatment and reducing community transmission.
Cost-eficiency and accessibility
Experts estimate that the use of Quantiplus could reduce diagnostic costs by as much as one-fifth, experts estimate. This cost-saving potential will allow many facilities to scale up molecular TB testing without investing heavily in new machines, making TB diagnosis more financially accessible and sustainable for the country’s large patient pool.
A patient-friendly innovation: Tongue swab test
The second homegrown diagnostic tool validated by the ICMR is the UniAMP MTB Nucleic Acid Test Card, also developed by Huwel Lifesciences. This technology offers a crucial advancement by enabling TB testing through non-invasive tongue swabs, rather than the invasive sputum samples typically required. This is especially significant for populations like children and the elderly, who often find sputum collection challenging.
Tongue swab testing could also facilitate doorstep or point-of-care TB screenings, greatly enhancing access to diagnosis and care in remote or underserved areas and supporting large-scale screening efforts.
Dr. Nivedita Gupta, Head of the Communicable Diseases Division at ICMR, highlighted the importance of rigorous validation in ensuring innovative TB diagnostics reach patients quickly. She emphasized that these developments reflect India’s strong commitment to advancing indigenous scientific research and closing gaps in early detection, critical steps toward eliminating TB as a public health threat.
The new diagnostic tools complement existing technology upgrades like Truenat and PathoDetect, which have already decentralized high-precision nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), reduced diagnostic delays and improved treatment outcomes for both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB cases.
The validation of these innovative tools marks a milestone in India’s TB control efforts by combining laboratory advancements, decentralized testing, and non-sputum point-of-care diagnostics. If deployed widely, these technologies could transform TB testing nationwide — making it faster, cheaper, and more accessible for millions in need.
