New diagnostics development hub launched to improve healthcare treatment outcomes

THE Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub was launched on Wednesday to cater to the rapidly growing demand for devices that will make it faster and easier for healthcare professionals to make more immediate diagnosis and improve treatment outcome for patients.

Described as a "major boost" to Singapore's biomedical research, the hub aims to develop medical diagnostics as part of the medical technologies industry. It also aims to improve healthcare through development of related solutions and accelerate development of new diagnostics devices.

Led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the hub will bring clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry professionals onto a common platform to fast track the development of clinically-proven, market-ready diagnostic tools and solutions.

The DxD Hub on Wednesday marked its opening with the unveiling of multiple partnerships across both public and private sectors.

They include collaborations with the healthcare and academic medical community including SingHealth, National University Health System, National Healthcare Group, as well as academic research organisations like the Singapore Clinical Research Institute.

Multinational companies such as Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Thermo Fisher Scientific, along with small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups such as AITbiotech and Gencurix, are also among the early supporters of the DxD Hub.

The hub was launched by S Iswaran, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, at Biopolis. Mr Iswaran is also the Second Minister for Home Affairs, as well as for Trade and Industry.

Diagnostics is one of four innovation clusters shortlisted to be funded under the S$200 million Innovation Cluster Programme (ICP) which was announced last October.