Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics has launched Truenat MTB-INH for testing the presence of isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. The test is validated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and can provide sample-to-test results in an hour's time.

Multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious public health issue. So far, resistance to Rifampicin was assumed as resistance to Isoniazid also for deciding the case as susceptible or MDR-TB. However, the growing occurrence of Isoniazid mono-resistance is posing a major challenge to the treatment of Rifampicin Susceptible Isoniazid resistant (Hr-TB) patients who often end up with treatment failure, relapse and develop further drug resistance.

The new treatment recommendations issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for treating Hr-TB patients necessitate the diagnosis of INH resistance in Rifampicin susceptible patients. Thus, the detection of INH resistance is crucial for the treatment and control of MDR-TB.

Truenat MTB-INH will immediately be available to the existing 3300 primary/community health centres using Truenat under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) as per the programme needs.

Truenat MTB-INH is also expected to play a major role internationally,  in high TB-burden countries as well as countries that already have a policy in place for INH testing on all TB-positive samples.