July-August. 2026 | The HEALTH

FOREIGN NEWS

MEDTECH MOMENTUM: Medical technology innovation continues to expand across Asia-Pacific as stronger investment, partnerships and commercial capabilities support the region ' s ambitions for global growth

The report, Building Global Champions: The Asia-Pacific Region ' s Next

A blood-based multi-cancer screening test developed in Asia has gained international recognition after clinical findings from more than 84,000 people were presented at ASCO Breakthrough 2026 in Singapore and highlighted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology( ASCO).

Gene Solutions said its AI-powered SPOT-MAS 10 test was featured through

Medtech Wave, forecasts regional medtech demand will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent to reach US $ 132 billion by 2030, outpacing the global market. It argues that future growth will depend not only on product innovation but also on stronger clinical evidence, regulatory expertise, market access and commercial capabilities.

Despite growing innovation, the report

an ASCO Press Centre briefing and the organisation ' s Science in Seconds programme following its recent U. S. Food and Drug Administration( FDA) Breakthrough Device Designation.

The study evaluated SPOT-MAS in 84,145 asymptomatic individuals from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

BLOOD SIGNALS: A blood-based multi-cancer screening test highlights advances in early cancer detection, supported by large-scale real-world evidence from populations across Asia found structural gaps continue to limit international expansion. Venture funding remains concentrated at the earliest stages, with Seed and Series A rounds totalling US $ 2.2 billion across 124 deals in 2025. Meanwhile, only 10 per cent, or US $ 2.3 billion, of Asia-Pacific private equity buyout value was directed towards medtech, largely supporting already established companies.

The report identifies five priority areas for improvement: funding, regulatory and clinical expertise, intellectual property protection, commercial infrastructure, and reimbursement supported by clinical evidence.

Bain & Company ' s Kevin Chang said Asia-Pacific was evolving from being primarily a manufacturing base into an important source of innovation, with the next decade determined by how effectively companies transform new technologies into globally competitive businesses.

The report highlights progress across the region, noting Japan and Australia ' s established product development capabilities, China and India ' s transition beyond manufacturing, South Korea ' s advances in software-driven medtech and Singapore ' s growing role in clinical translation and productisation.

It concludes that stronger collaboration between governments, investors, research institutions and industry will be essential to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation, with investment decisions over the next two years expected to shape Asia-Pacific ' s position in the global medtech industry by 2030.

An interim analysis involving 22,597 participants with at least 12 months of follow-up found the test delivered results consistent with an earlier validation study, K-DETEK. Researchers said it identified cancers that currently lack routine screening programmes in many Asian countries, including stomach, liver and nasopharyngeal cancers.

ASCO Expert Dr Julian Hong said the findings demonstrated the potential of SPOT-MAS for multi-cancer early detection while stressing the need for continued research, careful interpretation of results and appropriate diagnostic follow-up.

The study was led by Medical Genetics Institute ' s Dr Dang Luu Hong Nguyen, who said it represented the largest reported real-world multi-cancer early detection cohort from an Asian population.

SPOT-MAS 10 analyses circulating cell-free DNA using methylation and fragmentomic signatures supported by machine-learning technology. Gene Solutions said the test is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing guideline-recommended cancer screening programmes. The FDA Breakthrough Device Designation does not constitute regulatory approval or marketing authorisation.

GENE Solutions presented new research on prenatal screening, pregnancy risk assessment and women ' s genomic health at the 30th International Conference on Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy( ISPD 2026), highlighting large-scale real-world evidence and emerging artificial intelligence applications in maternal care.

The biotechnology company participated as a Premier Partner at the virtual conference, presenting findings through an industry symposium, scientific session, oral presentations and scientific posters.

One study examined 225,092 pregnant women across Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and India who underwent screening for 18 recessive genetic conditions between February 2025 and February 2026.

Researchers reported that more than one in four women carried at least one screened condition, including alpha-thalassaemia, cystic fibrosis and beta-thalassaemia.

The findings demonstrated the potential to integrate maternal carrier screening and selected single-gene disorder screening into routine noninvasive prenatal testing from a single maternal blood sample, while highlighting the importance of confirmatory diagnostics and genetic counselling.

Additional research explored using artificial intelligence to analyse routine prenatal testing data to predict gestational diabetes and preterm birth earlier. At the same time, another presentation examined a cervical-sample DNA methylation test that could help reduce unnecessary invasive procedures for women at increased risk of endometrial cancer.

The presentations highlighted advances in genomic technologies aimed at supporting more personalised and minimally invasive care throughout

pregnancy and women ' s health.

- The HEALTH

PRECISION MEDICINE: The conference showcases developments in genomic medicine aimed at expanding prenatal screening and supporting more personalised care throughout pregnancy