The University of Cape Town Lung Institute

What The University of Cape Town Lung Institute does

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute (UCTLI) is a private company wholly owned by the University of Cape Town, founded in 1999 and registered as a Public Benefit Organisation. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, on four floors of the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, the institute operates four clinical research units focused on Allergy and Immunology, Child and Adolescent Lung Health, Lung Infection and Immunity, and Tuberculosis Research Innovation. It delivers clinical services in respiratory medicine, tuberculosis, COVID-19, and allergy, while conducting clinical research across South Africa and the African continent.

UCTLI's core technology platform spans molecular biology, genomics, immunology, and biosafety, including real-time PCR, next-generation sequencing, targeted NGS, BSL-3 laboratory capacity, flow cytometry, and proprietary IP such as patented urine-based TB biomarkers and a Cough Aerosol Sampling System (CASS). The institute runs a network of diagnostic and clinical research activities spanning over 100 primary care clinics in the Cape Metropole, Brooklyn Chest Hospital (MDR-TB), and Groote Schuur Hospital, and operates a mobile TB diagnosis clinic ("lab-in-a-cab") in partnership with Novartis and the Department of Health.

UCTLI's revenue model is grant-driven, drawing from a diversified portfolio of international funders including the NIH, EU (FP7, Horizon 2020, EDCTP), Wellcome Trust, Gates Foundation, and the Newton Fund, alongside national agencies (SAMRC, NRF). Complementary revenue streams include a Commercial Clinical Trials Unit serving pharmaceutical and medical device companies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training, conference facilities, and a limited private practice in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine. The institute does not disclose pricing or financials and operates as a non-profit research entity embedded in the South African public health system.

Name

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute

Legal name

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute

Website

https://lunginstitute.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute (UCTLI) is a university-owned, public benefit research organization in Cape Town conducting clinical research, diagnostics development, and clinical services across tuberculosis, COVID-19, respiratory medicine, and allergy for South African and African populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research and Healthcare Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Tuberculosis & Mycobacterial Diseases (HLAKAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pulmonary Function & Respiratory Diagnostic Centers (PFT/Spirometry) (HLAFAKAJ)

Keywords

• Clinical research services
• Tuberculosis diagnostics
• Respiratory medicine research
• Clinical trial services
• Allergy immunology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: Funding from international bodies (EU, EDCTP, Wellcome Trust, NIH, Gates Foundation), national agencies (SAMRC, NRF), and charitable foundations for TB research, clinical trials, and capacity development
2. Clinical Services: Limited private practice service in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, evaluation of new TB treatments and diagnostics, COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research
3. Commercial Clinical Trials: Contract research services for pharmaceutical and medical device companies evaluating prototypes or conducting Phase I-III clinical trials
4. Educational Services: Good Clinical Practice training, Pulmonology Update courses, workshops and conferences for healthcare professionals

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute (UCTLI) is a research and clinical services organization that addresses priority health issues through education, research, and service delivery in Respiratory Medicine, Tuberculosis, COVID-19, and Allergy. It is structured into four clinical research units (Allergy & Immunology, Centre for Child & Adolescent Lung Health, Centre for Lung Infection & Immunity, and Centre for TB Research Innovation) that conduct clinical trials, evaluate new TB treatments and diagnostics, and provide a limited private practice in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine.

Product overview

The University of Cape Town Lung Institute is a research and clinical services organization structured as four clinical research units: the Allergy & Immunology Unit, Centre for Child & Adolescent Lung Health, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity (CLII), and Centre for TB Research Innovation. It provides clinical services in Respiratory Medicine, Tuberculosis, COVID-19, and Allergy, while conducting clinical trials through its Commercial Clinical Trials Unit. The institute offers specialized services including mobile TB diagnosis clinics, GCP training, and conference facilities. It does not offer a unified software product but rather a portfolio of research, clinical, and training services focused on priority lung health issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Services in Respiratory Medicine Provides clinical services in Respiratory Medicine, Tuberculosis, COVID-19, and Allergy, including evaluation of new TB treatments and investigation of new TB diagnostics in adults and children, delivered to patients and public health system.
• COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Research Conducts COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 treatment research, including participant enrolment in randomized control trials, sponsored by research partners.
• Allergy and Respiratory Medicine Private Practice Limited private practice service in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine offered to patients seeking specialized care.
• Commercial Clinical Trials Unit Assists start-up and established companies in progressing products through commercial pipeline stages, including prototype evaluation and clinical trials for devices related to pulmonology and infectious diseases.
• Allergy & Immunology Unit Research unit focused on allergy and immunology, headed by Professor Jonny Peter, providing clinical services and research in allergic conditions.
• Centre for Child & Adolescent Lung Health Research unit focused on lung health in children and adolescents, headed by Professor Heather Zar.
• Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity (CLII) Research unit focused on TB and non-TB immunology, microbial resistance, and diagnostic research, headed by Professor Keertan Dheda.
• Centre for TB Research Innovation Research unit focused on tuberculosis and HIV treatment research and innovation.
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training Training course in Good Clinical Practice offered by the institute, with registration available via REDCap survey platform, targeted at healthcare professionals.
• Mobile TB Diagnosis Clinic A 'lab-in-a-cab' mobile TB clinic launched in partnership with Novartis and the Department of Health for community-based TB diagnosis, bringing diagnostic services directly to vulnerable communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53% more patients initiated TB therapy using new DNA-based diagnostic tool (GeneXpert MTB/RIF)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NovartiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2022Partnership to launch mobile TB diagnosis clinic ('lab-in-a-cab') in collaboration with the Department of Health, bringing diagnostic services directly to communities
• Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for public health initiatives including mobile TB clinic launch and national TB research priorities
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint appointment with Prof Keertan Dheda; collaboration on next generation whole genome sequencing, TB research and policy development
• McGill UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Madhukar Pai and Dick Menzies on HIV self-testing and TB diagnostics research
• Allergy Foundation of South Africa (AFSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on food allergy awareness and allergy-related public health initiatives; Dr Thulja Trikamjee serves as executive board member
• The Allergy Foundation of South Africa (AFSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFSA executive board member Dr Thulja Trikamjee is also affiliated with the institute's Allergy & Immunology Unit

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union): Global scientific organization headquartered in Paris working on TB, lung disease, and non-communicable diseases. Comparable as a larger, established peer in TB science and policy that UCTLI engages with through the Princess Chichibu award and Union Scientific Award; broader scope but overlapping TB research community.
• South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC): South Africa's national medical research council, a major funder of UCTLI's TB research including the NExT trial. Comparable as the parent research funding body in South Africa, with broader health mandate but overlapping TB research portfolio and shared principal investigators.

Direct peers

• TB Alliance: New York-based non-profit drug developer dedicated to discovering and delivering better, faster-acting, affordable TB treatments. Comparable as a TB-focused non-profit with similar grant funding structure (Gates, NIH) and active involvement in MDR-TB regimen trials, including potential overlap with UCTLI's NExT study network.
• FIND (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics): Geneva-based non-profit driving development and delivery of diagnostic tests for poverty-related diseases, with TB as a flagship program. Directly comparable as a diagnostics-focused non-profit working on TB point-of-care tests, including urine-based biomarker development, with similar multi-funder grant model.
• Aurum Institute: South African health research organization with TB and HIV as core focus areas, running large-scale clinical trials and implementation science. Comparable as a Johannesburg-based research institute with similar funder mix (Gates, NIH, EDCTP) and TB trial capabilities in high-burden settings.
• KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation: Dutch-based international TB organization focused on TB elimination through technical assistance, research, and innovation. Directly comparable as a non-profit TB research and implementation organization operating across multiple high-burden countries, with similar grant-funded model and policy-influencing publications.
• Desmond Tutu TB Centre: Stellenbosch University-affiliated TB research center in South Africa conducting TB epidemiology, diagnostics, and pediatric TB research. Comparable as a university-affiliated South African TB research entity with similar disease focus, academic publishing profile, and grant funding model.

Emerging players

• IAVI (International AIDS Vaccine Initiative): Global non-profit working on vaccine development and immune research for HIV, TB, and emerging infectious diseases. Comparable as a research-driven non-profit working on TB immunology and diagnostics with similar Gates/Wellcome funding relationships, and partial overlap with UCTLI's host immunity research.

Regional players

• Makerere University Lung Institute: Uganda-based lung research institute at Makerere University conducting TB and respiratory disease research in East Africa. Comparable as a university-affiliated African lung/TB research institute with similar disease focus, grant funding model, and clinical trial execution capabilities in a high-burden setting.
• Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ): Zambian non-profit research organization with strong TB and HIV programs, conducting clinical trials and implementation research. Comparable as a Southern African clinical research organization with similar high-burden TB trial capabilities and overlapping funder relationships (NIH, EDCTP, Gates).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The University of Cape Town Lung Institute