Thermo Fisher joins Singapore's new Diagnostics Development Hub

Singapore's government is teaming up with Thermo Fisher ($TMO) and other heavyweights in the biomedical space to accelerate the development and commercialization of new diagnostic tests.

Led by the country's Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR), the new Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub is meant to bring new medical diagnostics and devices to a growing marketplace and by doing so, allow healthcare professionals to diagnose diseases earlier and improve health outcomes for patients.

Bringing together clinicians, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and industry professionals, the DxD Hub aims to share expertise and help guide participating partners through the process of validation, testing, regulation, marketing and commercialization of new diagnostic products.

Thermo Fisher's involvement in the project is notable, considering the maker of lab equipment and genetic tests has been inking deals left and right with Big Pharma to develop companion diagnostics. Recently, it formed collaborations with GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) and Pfizer ($PFE) to create a companion diagnostic for solid tumors that will address multiple drug programs.

Johnson & Johnson ($JNJ) Innovation was also named a partner of the DxD Hub, along with biotech startups including AITbiotech, Gencurix, HistoIndex, iPtec, InvitroCue, and MiRXES. Other partners include a mix of academic institutions and health organizations, including SingHealth, National University Health System, National Healthcare Group and Singapore Clinical Research Institute.

Diagnostics is one of four innovation clusters that will be funded under Singapore's $200 million Innovation Cluster Programme, announced back in October 2013.

- more from A*STAR