Zydus Lifesciences Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Apollo Hospitals to offer the Shield Multi-Cancer Detection test across India. Zydus holds an exclusive agreement with Guardant Health Inc. to make the test available in the country.
The Shield MCD test is a methylation-based blood test that screens for 10 cancer types including bladder, colorectal, breast, prostate, oesophageal, gastric, liver, lung, ovarian and pancreas cancer. The test is intended for individuals aged 45 or older at typical average risk for cancer. The test has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for eight of these cancer types.
Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, said the collaboration advances accessible cancer screening solutions for India. Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director of Zydus Lifesciences, said Zydus is expanding access to screening technology that complements existing screening pathways through focused awareness initiatives.
Simranjit Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Guardant Health AMEA, said Shield MCD represents an advancement in identifying cancer-associated signals through a single blood draw and that earlier detection can transform cancer outcomes.
Cancer accounts for nearly nine per cent of total deaths related to non-communicable diseases in India. In 2022, over 1.41 million individuals were diagnosed with cancer, with over 900,000 deaths. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women, while oral cancer is the top cancer among men. Screening rates in India remain low with wide disparities among states.
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