Aurum leads a Unitaid-funded project to bring faster, fairer TB testing closer to communities.
The Aurum Institute is leading DriveDx4TB TOO, a Unitaid-funded project that advances efforts to improve access to innovative, decentralised tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics in high-burden settings.
DriveDx4TB TOO will generate high-quality evidence to shape global and national TB policy, paving the way for earlier diagnosis and equitable access to life-saving testing tools.
Of the estimated 10 million people who develop TB each year, around 3 million go undiagnosed. For the most vulnerable, such as children and people living with HIV. This gap is even greater, as sputum-based tests are difficult to perform and often unavailable at the primary care level. Without accurate and timely diagnosis, people cannot access appropriate treatment, resulting in ongoing transmission and preventable illness and death. DriveDx4TB TOO addresses this gap by advancing diagnostic solutions that are affordable, accurate, and available where they are needed most.
Continuing on the progress made by the DriveDx4TB project, DriveDx4TB TOO will evaluate and accelerate the introduction of next-generation TB diagnostic technologies based on alternative sampling strategies – including third-generation point-of-care (POC) LAM (lipoarabinomannan) tests, near-POC nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), and low-complexity NAAT – designed to bring testing closer to where people live and seek care.
Implemented across South Africa, Kenya, and Indonesia, DriveDx4TB TOO will work with governments, civil society, and health partners to ensure that these technologies reach communities who need them most.
Distinctively, DriveDx4TB TOO will embody Aurum’s mission – generating evidence that informs policy and translating that policy into practice. By linking research, implementation, and access, diagnostic innovations move beyond studies and into health systems where they can save lives.
“DriveDx4TB TOO represents African-led innovation and collaboration in action,” says Professor Violet Chihota, Principal Investigator and Aurum Group Chief Scientific Officer. “By generating the evidence required to guide policy and access, we’re building a pathway for sustainable, locally driven solutions that save lives.”
“This project builds on Unitaid’s longstanding commitments to transforming TB diagnosis. By supporting diagnostic solutions that reach underserved communities, we’re helping to close the testing gap and accelerate progress toward ending TB,” says Dr. Cherise Scott, Senior Technical Manager at Unitaid.
Through 2025-2029, the project will strengthen diagnostic capacity, support policy adoption, and advance global progress towards ending TB.
Driving the next frontier in TB diagnosis.
