Collaboration aims to accelerate tuberculosis diagnostic technology in the Philippines.
A new international partnership is poised to speed up the fight against tuberculosis. On December 31st, officials announced that the National Institute of Health and the Philippine Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) will collaborate on developing cutting-edge tuberculosis diagnostic technology. This joint effort is part of a larger initiative, the ‘Development of Global Collaborative Practical Technology to Eradicate Tuberculosis (2025-2029)’ project, and focuses on rapidly commercializing improved diagnostic tools.
next-Generation Diagnostics on the Horizon
Researchers will evaluate a prototype diagnostic kit, developed in collaboration with Connectagen, a domestic company. The kit’s performance will be rigorously tested through clinical research conducted in the Philippines, assessing its effectiveness in a real-world setting. This prototype boasts the ability to concurrently detect mutations in 37 resistance genes across 14 different anti-tuberculosis drugs using targeted next-generation sequencing.
Did you know? – The new diagnostic kit can identify resistance to bedaquiline and delamanid, two key medications the World Health Organization recommends for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
The WHO currently advocates for a 6-month treatment regimen – BDLLfxC, comprised of bedaquiline, delamanid, linezolid, levofloxacin, and clofazimine – for patients with resistant tuberculosis, even in cases of fluoroquinolone resistance.
Strengthening Tuberculosis Management
Lim seung-kwan, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, highlighted the agency’s commitment to thorough tuberculosis management. The agency recently established the ‘3rd Tuberculosis Management Comprehensive Plan (2023-2027)’,prioritizing technological innovation across prevention,diagnosis,and treatment.
Officials stated their dedication to bolstering the global competitiveness of domestic tuberculosis diagnostics and ultimately contributing to the eradication of the disease through this international research collaboration.
The collaborative study, an overseas joint study, is scheduled to run from 2025 to 2027, evaluating the efficacy of tNGS-based next-generation rapid diagnostic technology.
- A joint research project between the National Institute of Health and the Philippine Research Institute for Tropical Medicine will develop new tuberculosis diagnostics.
- The prototype kit can detect resistance to 14 anti-tuberculosis drugs, including bedaquiline and delamanid.
- the study will run from 2025 to 2027, with clinical research conducted in the Philippines.
- The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is committed to strengthening tuberculosis management through technological innovation.
