Affordable, made-in-India HPV test kits rolled out to fight cervical cancer

India Today

24-04-2025

Two made-in-India HPV test kits - an essential diagnostic tool for cervical cancer - have been rolled out after successful evaluation by AIIMS Delhi doctors.The results of the scientific review were announced in a meeting by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).The two evaluated HPV kits - Truenat HPV-HR Plus by Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics, and Patho Detect by Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions developed under the Department of Biotechnology, now launched into the market, mark a step forward in combating cervical cancer, the second most common type of cancer among Indian women.advertisement
HOW THE INDIGENOUS HPV KITS WORKThe newly validated kits use a chip-based real-time PCR (RT-PCR) technique, which is known for its accuracy and speed.These kits are designed to detect eight high-risk HPV genotypes, which are responsible for over 96% of cervical cancer cases globally.The evaluation of these kits was carried out by a team of experts at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi, in collaboration with National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) Noida, and National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH) Mumbai, along with support from the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). "The key feature of these kits is the inclusion of only the seven-eight most common cancer-causing types that will allow a very efficient and cost-effective screening programme which will be most suitable for India," Dr. Neerja Bhatla, former head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS, Delhi and chief coordinator of the programme, told PTI.advertisementWhat sets these tests apart is their ability to be used as point-of-care tools, meaning they can deliver results quickly and can be used even in resource-limited or rural healthcare settings. This is particularly important in India, where access to diagnostic labs can be a major barrier."Given the enhancement of RTPCR-based diagnostic facilities across the nation in the post-COVID era, the introduction of sensitive RTPCR-based HPV testing kits might prove to be cost effective screening method over classical HPV DNA and Pap smear for deployment in the national cancer screening programme," Dr Bhatla said.A PUBLIC HEALTH THREATHPV (human papillomavirus) is a common viral infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact, quite often via sexual contact. The virus is so common that nearly all sexually active individuals will contract it at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). While most HPV are harmless, some virus variants pose severe health problems leading to various forms of cancer, including cervical cancer.Cervical cancer is a serious public health issue in India, which accounts for nearly one in every four cervical cancer cases globally. Each year, over 1.23 lakh women are newly diagnosed, and nearly 77,000 women lose their lives to the disease.
Cervical cancer is a serious public health issue in India, which accounts for nearly one in every four cervical cancercases globally. ()
What makes this disease more concerning is that cervical cancer is preventable. While not all cervical cancer cases are because of HPV infection, most cases are caused by the virus. Therefore, early and regular screening for HPV can help catch the disease before it becomes deadly.THe WHO recently recommended that all countries adopt HPV testing as the primary screening method. According to the health agency's global strategy, women should undergo two HPV tests in their lifetime, once at the age of 35 and again at 45.The target is to screen 70% of eligible women by 2030, which would drastically reduce cervical cancer deaths.'A STEP FORWARD IN PREVENTIVE CARE'Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh underlined the growing importance of preventive healthcare and India's efforts to become a global leader in this space.At the event where the two made-in-India HPV testing kits designed for quick screening of cervical cancer were launched, Jitendra Singh said it was the right time to acknowledge India's growing success in scientific innovation, especially in the healthcare sector.advertisementHe cited the development of the world's first DNA vaccine for Covid-19, which was also made in India back in 2021, as a major achievement that brought international recognition and helped shift global perceptions.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh underlined the growing importance of preventive healthcare at the launch of two made-in-India HPV testing kits. (Photo: Department of Biotechnology)
"India was once seen as a country that neither focused on preventive nor curative healthcare. That perception is changing," he said, also mentioning Nafithromycin, the country's first indigenous antibiotic, and a gene therapy trial for haemophilia, the results of which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.He credited these milestones to the combined efforts of public institutions and private companies, describing it as a "whole-of-science and whole-of-government" approach.The current methods of screening for cervical cancer include Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), Papanicolaou test (Pap test or Pap smear) and HPV DNA testing. These tests are costly and time-consuming, and not always sensitive enough, said Singh.The new HPV test kits are faster, more affordable, and suitable for use in remote areas.Trending Reel