Qiagen launches QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus tuberculosis test

Qiagen has announced the European launch of its CE Mark-approved QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test for tuberculosis.

This fourth-generation iteration of one of the most accurate tests for detecting tuberculosis infections offers the ability to capture a much broader range of information relating to an individual's immune response.

Its improved technology delivers higher sensitivity, particularly in terms of risk stratification, plus workflow improvements that allow for even more efficient implementation and further enhancements to reliability, consistency and performance.

The new test is the successor and intended replacement for the older QuantiFERON-TB Gold offering, which generated more than $100 million (66.22 million pounds) in annual sales in 2014.

Peer Schatz, chief executive officer of Qiagen, said: "The launch of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus offers important generational improvements in our industry-leading franchise of diagnostics to detect tuberculosis infections."

The firm is one of the world's leading molecular biology companies, with more than 500,000 customers worldwide using its sample and assay technologies.