Bertis Expands MASTOCHECK® into Thailand and the Philippines

-    Bertis signs a supply agreement with LifeStrands, an innovative clinical genomics company, to launch MASTOCHECK® testing in Thailand and the Philippines

-    High expectations for rapid adoption of MASTOCHECK®, driven by strong interest from local medical professionals and LifeStrands' extensive network

[Image] Analyzing samples sent from a medical institution in the Philippines for MASTOCHECK® testing

On April 21, Bertis, a company specializing in the development of proteomics-based precision medicine technology (led by CEOs Dong-young Noh and Seung-man Han), announced the launch of MASTOCHECK®, a blood test for early breast cancer detection, in Thailand and the Philippines.

Bertis has signed a supply agreement with LifeStrands, an innovative clinical genomics company, to initiate MASTOCHECK® testing in the two countries. The sales and marketing of MASTOCHECK® in Thailand and the Philippines will be handled by LifeStrands, which is headquartered in Singapore. The agreement was finalized with LifeStrands on January 10th.

LifeStrands, the genomics and life sciences subsidiary of Pathology Asia Group—a leading diagnostic service provider in Southeast Asia—was established in June 2020 and specializes in clinical and translational genomics and provides genomic testing services through its partnered hospital networks across Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.

MASTOCHECK® is the world's first proteomics-based blood test for early breast cancer detection developed by Bertis. It diagnoses breast cancer by quantifying three blood-based protein biomarkers and analyzes the results using a patented algorithm. The test has proven efficacy in screening for early-stage breast cancer (stages 0-2) and has been approved as an in vitro diagnostic medical device by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. It is currently used in over 500 medical institutions in Korea and has also entered the Singapore market.

Seung-man Han, CEO of Bertis, stated, "We are excited to introduce MASTOCHECK® in Thailand and the Philippines through our partnership with LifeStrands, a key player in Southeast Asia. We anticipate rapid adoption in the region, supported by strong interest from local medical professionals and LifeStrands' robust network."

Asian women are more likely to have dense breasts compared to Western women. In dense breast tissue, the high proportion of glandular tissue can obscure tumors on mammogram images, making early detection more difficult. As a blood-based diagnostic tool, MASTOCHECK® demonstrates high accuracy even in women with dense breasts. It also ensures consistent results by eliminating variations caused by subjective interpretation and is suitable for young women, women of childbearing age, and pregnant women.