Duopharma Biotech, one of Malaysia’s largest pharmaceutical companies, is committed to expanding access to a mobile breast cancer screening device at the community level.
It has signed a distribution agreement with the Malaysian unit of US-based femtech company UE LifeSciences to make the iBreastExam device available in primary care clinics across the country.
iBreastExam is a handheld, radiation-free device that uses DCPC (Dynamic Co-Planar Capacitive) sensor technology to measure change in breast tissue elasticity in real time at the point of care. This user-friendly device, which requires minimal training, helps identify and classify clinically significant breast lumps in asymptomatic patients, and automates and standardizes clinical breast examinations. It also stores data in the cloud, facilitating seamless tracking.
The accuracy of the device in the initial detection of breast cancer has been verified through several independent clinical studies worldwide. UE LifeSciences has received various regulatory approvals in over 12 countries for iBreastExamincluding United States FDA clearance and Europe CE mark.
WHY IT MATTERS
In Malaysia, almost 40% of new breast cancer cases diagnosed each year were found at a very late stage. The five-year survival rate is nearly 60% for Stage 3 cases and 23% for Stage 4 cases.
These alarming figures, according to Duopharma Biotech, highlight the need for early detection of breast cancer. By distributing iBreastExam devices to primary care clinics through partnerships with private and public health organizations, the company seeks to address the lack of access to breast cancer screening and drive community screening.
THE BIGGEST TREND
Early cancer detection initiatives around the world are now using AI to further identify potential cases. South Korean medical artificial intelligence company Lunit is enabling such large-scale programs, including The New South Wales BreastScreen program in Australia and breast cancer screening at Capio S:t Göran Hospital, one of Sweden’s largest healthcare providers.
ON THE RECORD
“There are still many in the community who do not go for regular check-ups and instead go to a doctor only when there is a serious complaint, which may be too late for effective treatment. So, by Duopharma Marketing partnering with UE LifeSciences to distribute their mobile breast check-up device among front-line health care providers in the community, we hope to increase access to women’s screening in regular programs,” said Malaysia. opharma Biotech Group Managing Director Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar.
