Democratizing TB Diagnosis with Extraction-Free RT-PCR Technology: Quantiplus®
India Health Fund (IHF), an initiative of Tata Trusts, is excited to announce its partnership with Huwel Lifesciences, a leading innovator in molecular diagnostics. Through this partnership, IHF will support Huwel in conducting field feasibility studies across 10 Central TB Division approved sites for the Quantiplus® MTB Fast Detection Kit — a rapid, open-system RT-PCR compatible solution that delivers accurate TB diagnosis in just 40 minutes without the need for complex DNA extraction. This novel technology is poised to significantly enhance the accessibility, affordability and scalability of Tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic testing in India, addressing a critical gap in the country’s fight against the disease. Â
As India continues to bear the world’s highest TB burden accounting for over 27% of global cases with more than 2.8 million people affected annually, diagnostic delays and under-detection persist, especially in rural and underserved populations. Conventional diagnostic methods are limited by sensitivity while more accurate molecular diagnostics remain expensive and inaccessible in many settings. A significant portion of the population still remains undiagnosed due to the limitations of the closed systems such as stable power, controlled environments, skilled workforce and lab infrastructure which is challenging in rural areas.Â
The Quantiplus® MTB Fast Detection Kit, an open RT PCR solution bridges this gap by providing a molecular diagnostic solution at a fraction of the cost of the current systems. Priced at less than INR 200 per test, which is almost priced at 1/10th of the current prices, Quantiplus® offers a practical, high-impact tool to accelerate progress. By reducing diagnostic delays, improving case detection in hard-to-reach populations, and cutting per-test costs by over 80% compared to cartridge-based systems, Quantiplus® will deliver performance comparable to high-end closed RT-PCR systems, but with simplified workflows that make it ideal for use in decentralized, district-level labs. The solution has the capacity to scale to 900 tests per day per lab using standard 96-well formats—enabling district-level facilities to diagnose more effectively and respond more swiftly. Â
With Quantiplus®, Huwel is advancing a powerful tool that not only improves diagnostic accuracy but also ensures affordability and ease of use. This innovation is poised to make a significant impact in India’s fight against TB by increasing case detection, particularly in remote and underrepresented populations.
Dr. Shesheer Kumar Munpally, MD of Huwel Lifesciences, shared his vision:Â Â
“Quantiplus® was born from a radical question: Can we deliver lab-grade TB diagnostics without relying on centralized infrastructure? The obstacle was never scientific capability—it was operational dependence: on DNA extraction, proprietary hardware, complex workflows, and highly specialized protocols.Â
So, we reengineered the process to develop a streamlined, extraction-free RT-PCR protocol that is fast, reliable, and deployable even in the most resource-constrained settings, all while preserving the accuracy of laboratory-grade diagnostics. Â
It bridges the critical gap between clinical suspicion and diagnostic confirmation—where delays often drive both mortality and transmission. This is how we democratize precision diagnostics: by converting complexity into simplicity, and access into a universal standard.”Â
Through its funding support, India Health Fund is enabling the generation of operational and clinical evidence for Quantiplus® in real-world settings. The current study aims to validate Quantiplus’ performance across diverse geographies, specimen types, and health system levels. The expected outcome is to inform policy decisions around the inclusion of open RT-PCR solutions in national TB diagnostic algorithms, while also establishing the feasibility of decentralized, high-throughput molecular testing in district-level labs.Â
These feasibility studies are essential for generating real-world evidence of the Quantiplus® MTB Fast Detection Kit as an effective and potential solution for its potential integration into national TB diagnostic frameworks. This collaboration underscores IHF’s commitment to accelerating innovative solutions for TB elimination by driving scientific validation and operational readiness for scaling up decentralized diagnostic capabilities.Â
Madhav Joshi, CEO of India Health Fund shares, “India needs solutions that are fast, field-ready, and financially viable. Quantiplus® is a game-changer—it brings molecular-grade accuracy to the last mile, where it’s needed the most.”Â