Replacing smear microscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis: what is the market potential?

Abstract

References

Tuberculosis diagnostics: which target product profiles should be prioritised?

“…These issues are being addressed by ongoing activities, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Seattle, WA, USA) and other partners [3,7,11].…”

“…Efforts are now underway to quantify the potential market value around the various priority TPPs. For the highest ranked TPP, the market value estimate was recently published [11]. @ERSpublications A sputum-based molecular TB test and a biomarker-based, non-sputum assay are high-priority target product profiles http://ow.ly/uAaMx …”

Molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis: we need solutions that span the healthcare value chain

“…Without early and accurate diagnosis, TB is impossible to control. Historically, TB control programs have relied on sputum smear microscopy as the main diagnostic tool for active TB [2]. Even in 2016, smear microscopy remains the most widely used TB test in LMICs, but unfortunately, smear microscopy is neither sensitive nor able to detect drug resistance.…”

Implementation of Xpert MTB/RIF in 22 high tuberculosis burden countries: are we making progress?

“…All three countries reported centralised placement of Xpert (in regional or national labs only). Survey responses as well as recent studies suggest that challenges with sputum transportation and limited testing algorithms ¶ : for those countries who were not able to stratify total smears for initial diagnosis and treatment monitoring we assumed that, on average, 76% of the total sputum smears were performed for initial diagnosis (the average proportion reported by 16 countries able to stratify smears) [4]. + : ratio of the numbers of smears performed in high burden countries for initial diagnosis to the numbers of Xpert cartridges procured in the same country; the annual smear volumes and the numbers and the numbers of Xpert cartridges procured were collected for 2015.…”