India Health Fund Backs D-Nome for Advanced TB Screening in India

India Health Fund (IHF) supports Hyderabad-based D-Nome to develop the world's most affordable molecular TB screening tool using its D-ISO NAAT platform. The collaboration improves access, quantitative detection, and clinical decisions with minimal infrastructure.

The India Health Fund (IHF), which is an initiative of the Tata Trusts, is set to perform tuberculosis (TB) screening on a large scale through the creation of the world's cheapest molecular screening tool to screen for TB.

With the support of D-Nome, which is a deep-tech startup located in Hyderabad, IHF will enable the development and validation of D-Nome's indigenously developed D-ISO NAAT molecular screening platform to screen for TB, increasing access to molecular screening for TB at the primary health centres (PHCs) and improving health systems. D-Nome's D ISO NAAT platform provides an all-inclusive molecular platform that is compatible with PHC.

India remains the one with the greatest burden worldwide of tuberculosis. The country accounts for between 25 and 27 percent of all cases worldwide, with a potential of 2.7 million by 2024. The cost of infrastructure and operational complexity limits the availability of molecular diagnostics at the final mile, despite their enhanced precision.

There is a pressing requirement for solutions that blend molecular-grade performance and the ability to be affordable and decentralised at PHCs. D-Nome's D ISO NAAT platform solves these issues with a cost-effective option with minimal operational complexity and infrastructure requirements.

The partnership aims to create and test a quick screening tool that can be used at the point of care, with future plans to enhance it for measuring amounts, providing both types of results. It enables affordable, decentralized molecular screening with minimal infrastructure needs, improving access to TB detection and coverage.

Scaling D ISO NAAT across India's vast PHC network, the partnership will drive equitable access to advanced diagnostics in underserved areas. IHF's funding and expertise will accelerate regulatory approvals, manufacturing scale-up, and pilot deployments in high-burden states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, potentially screening millions annually at under $5 per test.

Long-term, this initiative aligns with India's National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) target of zero TB deaths by 2025. Success metrics include a 30–50% rise in early detection rates, reduced diagnostic delays, and cost savings for the healthcare system, paving the way for similar innovations in other infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis.

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