India validates first indigenous Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test for cervical cancer screening

Key facts

• Researchers from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) institutes, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have validated India's first indigenous Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test.
• The Truenat HR-HPV-Plus, developed by Goa-based Molbio Diagnostics, was the only indigenous assay to completely satisfy international validation criteria for cervical cancer screening.
• The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, evaluated four Indian-developed tests against World Health Organization (WHO) and IARC standards using 1,159 cervical samples.
• The Truenat assay detects eight high-risk HPV types responsible for approximately 95% of cervical cancers and is designed for use at district and sub-district facilities with minimal training.
• The research was supported by the Department of Biotechnology - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (DBT-BIRAC) under the Grand Challenges India initiative.