FEND for TB

In 2020, NIAID made 3 awards, for a total of approximately $10 million per year for 5 years in response to the solicitation Feasibility of Novel Diagnostics for TB in Endemic Countries (FEND for TB) to evaluate early-stage TB diagnostics in endemic countries. These three centers will provide clinical site capacity in 12 TB endemic countries and will evaluate 36 different assays and biomarkers, including diagnostics for triage testing, rapid point of care diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing and have options for diagnostic technology holders to submit additional assays for evaluation. These diagnostics will be suitable for use in a variety of different settings where people present for care and will include testing for different patient populations, including pediatric subjects and people living with HIV.

The three FEND for TB centers have options for diagnostic technology holders to submit requests to have their early-stage TB diagnostic tests evaluated. The centers will conduct proof-of principle studies and provide feedback to diagnostic developers on the performance of their technologies and potential strategies for use in endemic settings.

This resource is open to any researchers with early-stage TB diagnostic technologies that are at a stage suitable for evaluation in a TB endemic country.

Researchers can get access to these resources through the individual project websites at:

• ENDxTB
• R2D2 TB Network
• FEND-TB

The primary institutions for the projects are: 

• Stellenbosch University (ENDx-TB)
• Rutgers University (FEND-TB)
• University of California San Francisco (R2D2 Network)