17/10/2026
Progress towards tuberculosis (TB) elimination depends on effective screening, accurate diagnosis and timely treatment. Yet detecting active TB before symptoms appear remains challenging. Asymptomatic active TB and latent TB infection are distinct conditions that require appropriate assessment.
TB can remain undetected when symptoms are absent, sputum is difficult to obtain, or the disease affects organs outside the lungs. These diagnostic challenges are particularly significant in children, patients with extrapulmonary TB and immunocompromised individuals.
Targeted screening of people at higher risk can help identify disease earlier and connect patients with appropriate care.
This is where CRISPR-TB offers promising potential.
By combining CRISPR technology with the detection of circulating cell-free TB DNA in blood, CRISPR-TB could help address diagnostic gaps in these populations. Its potential to detect early, asymptomatic active TB could support earlier case finding, while research also suggests a possible role in monitoring treatment response.
At QMED, Mr. Kurt Wehrle, Senior Vice President, Global Commercialization at IntelliGenome, presented how this technology could support progress towards TB pre-elimination.
We are pleased to mark the signing of an MoU between Hearts Medical Solutions and IntelliGenome. As IntelliGenome’s partner in the GCC and India, we look forward to collaborating with government health authorities, healthcare organisations and professionals to explore its clinical application.
Our shared goal is earlier detection, timely treatment and progress towards a future free of TB.
Thank you to Mr. Kurt Wehrle and the Intelligenome team for their trust and partnership.
