Thermo Fisher Scientific, National University Hospital and Mirxes Collaborate to Enhance Access to Advanced Genomic Testing for Early Cancer Detection in Singapore

Partnership Aims to Personalize Cancer Care Tailored to the Needs of Southeast Asian Population to Provide Better Individualized Care

SINGAPORE, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 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, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement on Friday, 14 June 2024. 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.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

About National University Hospital

The National University Hospital (NUH) is Singapore's leading university hospital. While the hospital at Kent Ridge first received its patients on 24 June 1985, our legacy started from 1905, the date of the founding of what is today the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. NUH is the principal teaching hospital of the medical school.

Our unique identity as a university hospital is a key attraction for healthcare professionals who aspire to do more than practise tertiary medical care. We offer an environment where research and teaching are an integral part of medicine and continue to shape medicine and transform care for the community we care for.

We are an academic medical centre with over 1,200 beds, serving more than one million patients a year with over 50 medical, surgical and dental specialties. NUH is the only public and not-for-profit hospital in Singapore to provide trusted care for adults, women and children under one roof, including the only paediatric kidney and liver transplant programme in the country.

The NUH is a key member of the National University Health System (NUHS), one of three public healthcare clusters in Singapore.

About Mirxes

Mirxes is a leading RNA technology company that is making cancer early detection and precision diagnostic solutions accessible on a global scale. Leading the global fight against cancer, our flagship initiative, Project CADENCE (Cancer Detected Early caN be CurEd), leverages our industry-leading RNA technology platform, deep expertise in PCR diagnostics, and population-scale next-generation sequencing (NGS) capabilities to create a blood-based multi-cancer early detection test to alleviate cancer burden, save lives and reduce healthcare costs. Founded in 2014, Mirxes is a high growth company, headquartered in Singapore, producing diagnostic test kits for early disease detection globally and delivering research and clinical testing services for preventive healthcare and precision medicine to key markets in Asia and beyond. For more information, visit  https://mirxes.com/. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.  

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific