Building on QIAGEN’s ongoing efforts to support global TB management and control, which include the leading diagnostics test QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, the new panel enables culture-free whole genome sequencing (WGS) directly from samples such as sputum or cerebrospinal fluid. This innovation significantly reduces the time to result and enables real-time epidemiology of TB outbreaks, addressing a critical need in the field of TB surveillance and control.

The QIAseq xHYB Mycobacterium tuberculosis Panel represents a major advancement in solving the problem of bacterial WGS from complex host samples, using next-generation sequencing (NGS). It is designed against the seven major lineages of TB, covering the full breadth of diversity. By eliminating the need for a 4-to-6-week bacterial culture, the panel significantly accelerates the process of obtaining results.

“The introduction of the QIAseq xHYB Mycobacterium tuberculosis Panel reflects our ongoing commitment to address global health challenges like TB and antimicrobial resistance,” said Nitin Sood, Vice President, Head of the Life Sciences Business Area at QIAGEN. “This innovative panel not only streamlines the workflow for healthcare professionals and researchers but also enables the real-time tracking of TB outbreaks, a crucial aspect in combating the spread of this devastating disease and managing the growing threat of drug-resistant TB.”

“Innovative aspects of this workflow are the whole genome analysis from clinical samples, avoidance of the culturing delay, and inclusion of genetic diversity,” stated Daniela Maria Cirillo, MD, PhD, Head of Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit at IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.

The QIAseq xHYB Mycobacterium tuberculosis Panel also plays a vital role in the detection and management of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing concern in TB treatment. The panel covers all AMR-related genes, allowing for the identification of resistant TB strains, including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which is caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective first-line TB drugs.

Surveillance of TB, including drug-resistant strains which occur in around 4% of all TB cases[1], helps track the emergence and spread of resistance. This provides essential information for updating treatment guidelines and spurs research and development efforts focused on new TB treatments and diagnostic methods, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

TB is a contagious bacterial infection, primarily spread by the coughing of patients with the active pulmonary form of the disease. The WHO estimated that there were more than 10 million new cases of active TB worldwide and 1.3 million deaths in 2022.

QIAGEN is committed to supporting TB management worldwide. Its leading diagnostics solution, QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, accurately detects latent TB infection by identifying interferon-gamma released by T-cells in response to TB-specific antigens. This one-visit test outperforms the century-old, two-visit TB skin test (TST). Over 100 million QuantiFERON-TB tests have been used worldwide to detect TB, and over 1,500 studies have been published using this test. One in four people worldwide are believed to have latent TB infections, with 5-10% of them expected at some point to develop active TB. The CDC and WHO endorse the use of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus to combat the global TB epidemic.

QIAGEN will showcase the QIAseq xHYB Mycobacterium tuberculosis Panel at the upcoming ESCMID Global 2024 (formerly known as ECCMID), which will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from April 27 to April 30, 2024, at booth D20. Attendees can also join the Diagnostic Insights series, featuring insights from industry experts, and participate in demonstrations of diagnostic technology such as the QIAcuityDx digital PCR platform, QIAstat-Dx Analyzer 2.0, and QIAstat-Dx Rise.