Molbio Launches Truenat HPV-HR Plus for Decentralised Cervical Cancer Screening

The test identifies eight high-risk HPV genotypes, including HPV 52 and 58, which are prevalent in India and Asia but are often excluded from global testing panels.

Molbio Diagnostics has introduced Truenat HPV-HR Plus, a chip-based RT-PCR test designed for decentralised cervical cancer screening.

The test detects eight high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV), including HPV 52 and 58, which are commonly seen in India and Asia but often left out in global testing panels.

The test was validated under the Government of India’s programme “Validating Indigenous HPV Tests for Cervical Cancer Screening in India,” supported by Grand Challenges India, BIRAC, and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). These efforts aim to develop affordable diagnostic tools tailored to India’s public health requirements.

Speaking on the relevance of the test, Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, said, “Truenat HPV-HR Plus represents the kind of diagnostic innovation we need — dependable, scientifically rigorous, locally developed, and built to serve our public health system. It’s a huge step forward in strengthening cervical cancer screening across India.”

India accounts for nearly 25% of the global cervical cancer burden, with more than 1.23 lakh cases and over 77,000 deaths annually. With timely screening still inaccessible in several regions, decentralised diagnostic solutions remain crucial.

Clinically Validated and Public Health-Oriented

The Truenat platform delivers results in under an hour using cervical swab samples, and it is operable with minimal infrastructure. This makes it a viable solution in low-resource and rural settings with limited access to advanced laboratories.

Dr Chandrasekhar Nair, CTO of Molbio Diagnostics, said, “By including regionally prevalent high-risk HPV genotypes such as HPV 52 and 58, we aim to support India’s cervical cancer elimination efforts, targeting women’s health in urban and rural areas alike.”

While presenting the evidence gathered during the clinical validation, Dr Neerja Bhatla, Head of Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, AIIMS, elaborated on the test's high sensitivity and specificity, meeting all study parameters.

The test aligns with India’s national cancer control goals and the World Health Organization’s cervical cancer elimination strategy.