Duopharma Biotech Berhad has signed a Distribution Agreement with US-based women’s health innovator company, UE LifeSciences Sdn Bhd to commercialise and scale a breast screening medical device in Malaysia a breakthrough innovation for accessible breast lesion detection for women.
Under the distribution agreement, UE LifeSciences and Duopharma Marketing plan to collaborate with the private and
governmental healthcare sectors by making this handheld medical device available at primary-care clinics across
Malaysia to bridge the lack of access to early detection. The device is designed for use by frontline health workers, nurses, primary care providers and NGOs operating in women’s health areas.
“There are still too many in the community who do not go for regular screenings and instead only see a doctor when there is a serious complaint, which can be too late for effective treatment. We hope to increase access to preliminary screening and ultimately encourage Malaysian women to schedule full regular screenings,to improve lives in the longer term,” said Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar, Group Managing Director, Duopharma Biotech Berhad.
According to the Malaysian Study on Cancer Survival 2018, the 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer among
Malaysian women was 87.5% for stage I, 80.7% for stage II, 59.7% for stage III and 23.3% for stage IV. This highlights the
importance of early detection of breast cancer in increasing the chance of successful treatment and reducing cancer-
related mortality.
The device is intended to produce a surface map of the breast as an aid in detecting and documenting breast lesions
identified in the breast. It is intended for use by a qualified healthcare professional trained in its use. The patient
population includes adults. It is a non-invasive, hand-held, fully wireless mobile health point-of-care solution for breast
lesion detection. The device uses patented sensor technology that electro-mechanically palpates the breast tissue to
differentiate variances in tissue elasticity. It enables a trained user to administer and record breast exams objectively,
consistently and with the ability to share the results easily using a mobile device.
