The Tyrian test is not interferon-gamma based (ie an IGRA). It...

The Tyrian test is not interferon-gamma based (ie an IGRA). It seems to me that a IGRA PON test would not necessarily be that difficult to establish because the basic IGRA technology is now accepted by authorities and perhaps Qiagen's new acquisition for PON fits well with the IGRA and ELISA method.
Of course, the attraction of a PON test for TB is that the greatest demand for testing is in developing countries, where access to laboratories is more challenging and gaining acceptance of the test is likely to be easier. Last year a TB DNA PON test was launched for active TB. One of the reason that PON tests have not taken off as well as they could in developed countries is because the pathology companies control the market and they benefit from lab testing.
I am thinking this because it doesn't seem fair to assume the directors are purely selfish in proposing this deal. Surely they deserve more credit. When working in cutting edge areas it is often necessary to swallow bitter pills in accepting that one is not necessarily at the lead of the field. As I understand it, the basic Quantiferon technology is no longer protected by patents, contrary to what some people seem to think and with the TB rights expiring in 2013 this introduces a level of uncertainty at the very least.