HISTOINDEX AND A*STAR PARTNER TO ADVANCE EARLY-STAGE DEVELOPMENT OF PIPELINE THERAPIES FOR FIBROTIC DISEASES

SINGAPORE, Oct. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HistoIndex, a pioneer in AI-driven digital pathology for fibrotic diseases, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the preclinical evaluation and characterization of therapeutic candidates for various fibrotic diseases, including cancer-associated fibrosis.

The partnership will bring together A*STAR's scientific expertise and therapeutic development capabilities with HistoIndex's proprietary imaging technology and AI-powered fully quantitative tissue analysis. By providing objective, sensitive and accurate measures of fibrosis and treatment response, HistoIndex's platform will support the rigorous evaluation of A*STAR's pipeline of therapeutic candidates and help researchers make more informed decisions on which candidates to advance.

"Fibrotic diseases, including cancer-associated fibrosis, remain challenging to evaluate during early-development. Understanding whether a therapeutic candidate can prevent, halt or reverse fibrosis requires accurate and objective measurement of changes in fibrotic tissue. This collaboration will help us assess these effects more rigorously and make better-informed development decisions, ultimately helping to advance innovations that improve patient outcomes," said Dr Lisa Ooi, Assistant Chief Executive of A*STAR's Biomedical Research Council (BMRC).

"As one of A*STAR's early medtech spin-offs, this partnership holds special significance for HistoIndex. We are delighted to bring our globally validated and widely adopted technology back to Singapore, where our journey began, and to collaborate with the research community to identify promising therapies and advance precision medicine for a broad range of fibrotic diseases across multiple organs," said Dr Gideon Ho, Chief Executive Officer of HistoIndex.

Beyond the evaluation of therapeutic candidates, the collaboration will also provide a platform for scientific exchange between A*STAR and HistoIndex, with opportunities to explore areas such as biomarker discovery, translational research, joint therapeutic development and commercialisation.

Separately, HistoIndex will showcase its digital pathology and AI-based tissue analysis capabilities at this year's AASLD The Liver Meeting^® Exhibition in Denver, Colorado.

About HistoIndex

Founded in 2010, HistoIndex pioneers in stain-free, fully automated imaging solutions for visualizing and quantifying fibrosis in biological tissues. By combining cutting-edge biophotonic technology with AI-based analysis, HistoIndex provides innovative tools to improve the assessment of fibrosis changes and drug efficacy. HistoIndex's breakthrough digital pathology solutions are used today to accelerate clinical research, expedite pharmaceutical drug development, and transform medical standards worldwide.

About A*STAR

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg

Media Contacts:        

Manuela Vidolova                                        Dione Chew
Histoindex Pte Ltd                                         Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
[email protected]              [email protected]

SOURCE HistoIndex