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Innovative diagnostics for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
Grant Value

US$25.9 million

Time frame

2013-2016

Lead Grantee

Global TB Programme

Program Area
Tuberculosis
Status: Completed

The problem

Conventional diagnosis for tuberculosis (TB) involves laboratory examination of sputum and can take up to two months to produce results. GeneXpert rapid diagnostic tests were the first to quickly and reliably identify TB that is resistant to rifampicin – a key drug used in treating TB – but equipment wasn’t widely available, and the tests were expensive.

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Our response
The TBXpert project secured pricing reductions of 40% for testing cartridges for some 145 countries, helping to achieve significant cost efficiencies in TB case detection. By the close of the project, 93% of all high-burden countries had incorporated Xpert testing into their national policies. The project also focused on making TB testing available at lower levels of the health system by installing testing platforms in health centers outside central references laboratories.

245,000

People diagnosed with TB

1.4 million

Testing cartridges purchased and 230 machines installed

$50m saved

In 2016 alone, from 6.9 tests purchased at the reduced price

145 countries

Can buy tests at the reduced price

Our partners

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