To increase patient access to affordable, advanced genomic testing for cancer in Singapore, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, the National University Hospital, Singapore (NUH) and Mirxes, a Singapore-headquartered RNA technology company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement today. The agreement formalizes the commitment to collaborate, develop and clinically validate advanced, next-generation sequencing (NGS) genomic testing solutions and cancer research tailored specifically to address the needs of the Southeast Asian population.

There is limited access to affordable genomic testing in cancer, which has been a challenge in many countries across Southeast Asia. Local access to rapid NGS testing in cancer allows healthcare providers to select the most appropriate therapy for individualized patients.

“NUH’s deep clinical expertise combined with the cutting-edge advancements of biotechnology capabilities and research holds immense promise for the future of cancer care,” said Associate Professor Tan Soo Yong, Head & Senior Consultant, Department of Pathology, NUH. “This collaborative approach will empower us to refine early detection methods and deliver even more precise diagnoses and treatments, propelling us towards optimized clinical outcomes in the fight against cancer.”

“At Thermo Fisher, we are proud to be able to work with our partners to utilize our NGS system to provide simple and fast next-generation sequencing based solutions with results in a single day,” said Sho-Wen Yeo, vice president and general manager, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. “Precision medicine enables healthcare providers to make more informed decisions regarding cancer treatment selection and allows patients to be matched with the most suitable therapies even more rapidly.”

Dr. Zhou Lihan, co-founder and CEO of Mirxes, shared, “Mirxes is a strong advocate for precision medicine, recognizing its immense potential for early detection and effective treatment for cancer patients. Over the last 10 years, Mirxes has partnered NUH and other local research and clinical institutions to develop and commercialize novel RNA based cancer early detection solutions, such as GASTROClear, on Thermo Fisher’s PCR platforms. In recent years, we have made significant investments in building our multi-omic and next-generation sequencing capabilities to deliver full range of precision diagnostic solutions across the cancer care continuum for the underserved Southeast Asian region. We are excited to expand the collaboration with established and long-term partners like Thermo Fisher and NUH to further expand our clinical diagnostic offerings, leveraging our extensive regional clinical testing network to make them more accessible to patients across Singapore and the Southeast Asian region.”

The National University Hospital Diagnostic Molecular Oncology Centre at Biopolis currently offers NGS testing for four common cancers: non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor and plans to expand access in more countries in the region in the near future.