Overview

• ASTRA detects tuberculosis by measuring dual activation markers OX-40 and 4-1BB on T cells, avoiding reliance on interferon-gamma responses impaired by HIV.
• A self-contained chemical reaction inspired by the bombardier beetle propels blood samples across a microchip for analysis without external power.
• In Eswatini validation studies, ASTRA delivered results in about four hours with 87% specificity in HIV-positive cohorts compared to 60% for the standard IGRA test.
• Conventional TB diagnostics that depend on interferon-gamma release and CD4+ T cell counts can miss over 90% of latent infections in immunocompromised individuals.
• Researchers are planning larger field trials across high-incidence countries and investigating ASTRA’s potential for immunotherapy monitoring and other point-of-care applications.