From clearer diagnoses to faster matching for clinical trials: How Singapore’s precision medicine sector is changing patient care
With EnterpriseSG's support, home-grown firms are sharpening diagnoses and treatments that relied on guesswork.
In early 2026, a 13-year-old girl and her family faced concerns about the potential deterioration of her liver, which had been transplanted to her as a baby. Seeking an objective assessment, her specialist turned to Singapore biotechnology company HistoIndex. The company's technology, developed over 16 years, provided a clearer answer with minimal scarring, bringing relief to the family.
HistoIndex's technology aids doctors in understanding how diseases progress and whether treatments are effective. It also assists drug companies in evaluating potential new medicines. HistoIndex's approach falls under precision medicine, which utilizes a person's genes, environment, and lifestyle to inform disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Supported by Enterprise Singapore, HistoIndex's AI-powered analysis tools underwent development, validation, and performance evaluation before gaining traction and becoming a standard tool in the diagnosis of certain liver diseases. Today, HistoIndex collaborates with Peking University, Mt Sinai Health System in New York, and over 200 clinicians worldwide.
Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its AI-powered diagnostic and prognostic tests into more hospitals, particularly in the US. Similarly, Singapore-based Kyan Technologies is developing a platform called Optim.AI to determine how cancer patients may respond to various drugs before selecting a treatment. Kyan's technology was initially developed in the US before continuing research at NUS from 2013, leading to its commercialization in 2022.
By 2023, Kyan's laboratory was licensed and accredited, supporting tests from more than 10 countries and serving patients cared for by nearly 200 clinicians worldwide. Kyan's journey reflects the broader growth of Singapore's precision medicine sector, which is projected to grow from $100 billion to $266 billion by 2034. Enterprise Singapore is committed to partnering with local companies to commercialize precision medicine solutions globally, driving further development in the $32 billion biomedical sciences industry.
However, while identifying the right treatments is crucial, connecting patients to these options remains a challenge, particularly in linking them to clinical trials. Driven by Dr Huren Sivaraj, CEO of Oncoshot, enterprises like Kyan Technologies face the task of navigating complex healthcare systems and establishing partnerships for clinical validation.
Enterprise Singapore provides support and resources to help companies like Kyan traverse these challenges, enabling them to reach the right partners more efficiently and bring innovative treatments to patients more quickly.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
