Mumbai: US-based Guardant Health is planning to launch a blood-based multi-cancer detection (MCD) test in India in collaboration with Zydus Lifesciences, said Simranjit Singh, the biotech company’s chief executive officer for Asia, Middle East and Africa.
The test, which can help in early detection of cancer, marks an expansion in Guardant Health’s offerings in the country beyond its current liquid biopsy. In 2023, Guardant partnered with Ahmedabad-based Zydus Lifesciences for co-marketing its collection of liquid and tissue biopsy tests for advanced cancer for all solid tumours.
For early detection, the multi-cancer panel includes cancers such as gastric, esophageal, liver, colorectal, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, bladder, breast and prostate.
Through Zydus, Guardant is now in discussions with around 10 hospital chains, wellness centres and laboratories to roll out the MCD test, said Singh.
India is among the first wave of global markets where the company intends to introduce the test, highlighting the strategic importance of the market amid rising cancer burden and low screening rates.
The early-detection blood-based test called ‘Shield’ is an extension of Guardant’s FDA-approved colorectal cancer screening blood test.
The test is part of the company’s larger push to move beyond advanced cancer diagnostics into early detection, an area increasingly seen as critical to improving survival outcomes.
“We have been pioneers in liquid biopsy,” Singh said, noting that it was the first to receive US FDA approval for liquid biopsy-based comprehensive genomic profiling in advanced cancers. The technology enables detection of tumour DNA through a simple blood draw, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies while providing a more comprehensive view of cancer mutations.
On pricing, Singh said, “Pricing is being developed in collaboration with our partners, including Zydus, and institutions.”
The exact price will vary by institution, but as a ballpark estimate, Shield CRC (colorectal cancer) is priced at $1,495 in the US, which is about Rs 1.4 lakh.
Early detection significantly improves outcomes and reduces treatment costs, he said.
Across the top cancer types, only a few have specific diagnostic tests. For example, mammography for breast cancer, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer, and low-dose CT for lung cancer. For many other cancers, there are no established screening options.
“This means many of these cancers are detected late, when treatment is significantly more expensive and outcomes are poorer… The goal is to enable a single test that can detect multiple cancers early,” said Singh.
Early detection can improve survival rates by 3 to 10 times, with some cancers reaching up to 90% survival when caught early, he said.
India has a high cancer burden with late diagnosis rates of 60–70%, limiting treatment success.
“Cancer detection requires a full ecosystem—oncologists, partners like Zydus, government support, payers and biopharma. Our goal is to reduce the mortality-to-incidence ratio. At 57%, it is unacceptable, and we need to bring that down. Early detection is the only way to truly change outcomes and save more lives,” said Singh.
