AI to Power Singapore's Next-Gen Cancer Profiling Test

Why It Matters

By delivering a high‑definition molecular map of tumours, UNITED 2.0 can accelerate precision‑treatment decisions and improve outcomes for patients with complex or rare cancers. The initiative also strengthens Singapore’s position as a regional hub for AI‑driven oncology diagnostics.

Key Takeaways

• AI-driven test adds whole exome and transcriptome sequencing.
• Project funded with S$6 M (≈US$4.7 M) over three years.
• Targets 10 cancer types, including rare tumors.
• Enables faster, actionable treatment decisions via high-definition profiling.
• Includes MRD monitoring tools for early recurrence detection.

Pulse Analysis

Singapore is accelerating its transition from conventional pathology to data‑driven oncology, and the National Cancer Centre Singapore’s latest partnership exemplifies that shift. By joining forces with precision‑oncology start‑up Lucence and A*STAR’s Diagnostics Development Hub, NCC — backed by a S$6 million (≈US$4.7 million) grant — aims to launch UNITED 2.0, an AI‑enhanced cancer profiling platform. The initiative builds on the earlier UNITED 1.0 assay, which already set a regional benchmark for multiplexed DNA‑RNA testing. This new effort positions Singapore as a hub for next‑generation genomic diagnostics in Asia.

The technical heart of UNITED 2.0 lies in its dual whole‑exome sequencing (WES) and whole‑transcriptome sequencing (WTS) workflow, moving beyond the 572‑gene panel of its predecessor. By capturing the full coding landscape and RNA expression patterns, the test can detect complex mutations, structural rearrangements, and novel fusions that smaller panels miss. Artificial‑intelligence algorithms then triage the massive data set, flagging clinically relevant alterations and generating concise reports for oncologists. The result is a high‑definition molecular map that shortens the time from biopsy to actionable insight, a critical advantage in aggressive cancers.

From a business perspective, the collaboration opens multiple revenue streams: commercial licensing of the AI engine, service contracts for sequencing, and downstream MRD monitoring kits that track minimal residual disease after therapy. The inclusion of rare cancers and lymphoma expands the addressable market, while the partnership with the Brain Tumour Society ensures patient‑centric development, potentially easing regulatory pathways. As governments worldwide expand genetic testing programmes, NCCS’s model could be replicated across the region, attracting further venture capital into Singapore’s biotech ecosystem and reinforcing the city‑state’s reputation as a precision‑medicine leader.