ASMS (Advanced Systems for Medical Solutions), a prominent Indian diagnostics provider, has signed a strategic partnership with Huwel Lifesciences to expand the reach and adoption of advanced TB diagnostic solutions nationwide. The deal focuses on deploying Huwel’s AI-enhanced molecular testing platforms, rapid TB detection kits, and digital reporting tools through ASMS’s extensive lab network, aiming to accelerate early detection, reduce transmission, and support India’s National TB Elimination Programme goals.
Glimpse:
The agreement enables ASMS to integrate Huwel’s cutting-edge TB diagnostic technologies including cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification tests (CB-NAAT), AI-assisted sputum smear microscopy, and portable molecular platforms into its chain of laboratories and collection centres. The partnership will enhance testing capacity for drug-resistant TB, improve turnaround times, enable digital result sharing via ABDM, and drive large-scale screening in high-burden districts, with joint training, supply chain support, and co-marketing efforts to reach millions more patients.
ASMS, one of India’s fastest-growing diagnostic service networks with hundreds of labs and collection points, has entered into a transformative strategic partnership with Huwel Lifesciences, a Hyderabad-based innovator in molecular diagnostics and point-of-care testing. The deal, signed on February 27, 2026, was announced during a joint press conference in New Delhi and focuses on scaling advanced tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics across urban and rural India to support the country’s ambitious target of TB elimination by 2025.
Under the agreement, ASMS will deploy Huwel’s full suite of TB diagnostic solutions including cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification tests (CB-NAAT) for rapid detection of TB and rifampicin resistance, AI-powered digital microscopy for sputum smear analysis, portable molecular platforms for decentralized testing, and integrated digital reporting tools. These technologies will be rolled out across ASMS’s laboratory network and partnered collection centres, enabling faster, more accurate diagnosis of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, including multidrug-resistant strains.
The partnership includes joint training programs for lab technicians and pathologists, supply chain optimization to ensure uninterrupted reagent availability, co-marketing campaigns to increase awareness among clinicians and communities, and technical support for integration with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. This will allow seamless digital sharing of TB test results into patient ABHA records, facilitating continuity of care, notification to national TB programs, and real-time surveillance data for public health authorities.
Both companies emphasized that the collaboration directly addresses key bottlenecks in India’s TB control efforts: delayed diagnosis due to limited access to molecular testing in peripheral areas, high rates of undetected drug resistance, and inefficiencies in result reporting and patient follow-up. By combining Huwel’s innovative diagnostic platforms with ASMS’s widespread reach, the partnership aims to significantly increase TB case detection rates, improve treatment initiation, and contribute to reducing TB transmission in high-burden communities.
The deal is expected to create new revenue streams for both partners while advancing India’s National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination. ASMS and Huwel plan to launch pilot programs in high-priority districts within the next quarter, with full-scale rollout targeted for late 2026. The initiative has already received positive feedback from the Central TB Division and state TB officers, who see it as a valuable private-sector contribution to the country’s TB mission.
“TB is a curable disease, but only if we detect it early and treat it right. This partnership with Huwel brings world-class diagnostics closer to patients who need them most helping India move faster toward a TB-free future.”
By
HB Team
