Tuberculosis
TB is the world’s
deadliest infectious disease, killing approximately 2 to
3 million
people annually and conservatively estimated to actively
infect 8 to 9 million more. Despite being curable, the
disease continues to spread. Inadequate detection is a primary
impediment to controlling this epidemic.
The need for a new
test to screen for active TB infection is widely recognized
and is a top priority of leading health authorities, including
the World Health Organization (“WHO”), Médicins
Sans Frontiéres (Doctors without Borders or “MSF”),
and the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”).
The WHO estimates that the
world currently spends in excess of $1 billion every year
on TB diagnosis. Innovative new diagnostic tests will increase
the market opportunity considerably. |
