Zydus, Apollo offer Shield MCD cancer blood test in India
Zydus Lifesciences and Apollo Hospitals announced a partnership to expand access to a new blood test in India that can check for signs of 10 common cancers (including breast, lung, and pancreatic) with a single sample.
It's meant for people aged 45 and older who aren't considered high-risk.
The Shield Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) test is based on technology from Guardant Health.
India low screening, high cancer deaths
Cancer screening rates are pretty low in India, even though the country saw more than 1.41 million new cases and over 900,000 deaths in 2022.
Apollo's chairman Prathap C Reddy says catching cancer early is crucial for better outcomes, while Zydus MD Sharvil Patel hopes more people will become aware of these tests.
The announcement also gave both companies' shares a boost.