Shares of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise also gained 1.73% to Rs 8,848 on the BSE.

Under an exclusive agreement with Zydus Lifesciences, Guardant Health will commercialise the Shield MCD test in India, while Apollo Hospitals will offer the test through its healthcare network.

The Shield MCD test is a methylation-based blood test for the detection of multiple cancer types including bladder, colorectal, breast, prostate, oesophageal, gastric, liver, lung, ovarian and pancreas cancer in individuals aged 45 or older and who are at typical average risk for cancer. The test has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recognising its potential to provide more effective screening for cancers than existing options.

Speaking on this development, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, 'At Apollo, we have long believed that the most effective healthcare is proactive healthcare. The future of medicine lies not only in treating disease, but in preventing it and detecting it at its earliest, most treatable stages. Cancer continues to be one of the greatest health challenges facing societies worldwide, and expanding access to timely, reliable screening, is critical to reducing its impact. Our collaboration with Zydus Lifesciences marks an important milestone in advancing accessible, patient-friendly cancer screening solutions for the people of India.”

Dr. Sharvil Patel, managing director, Zydus Lifesciences, said, “As India’s leading oncology company, we are reimagining the role of diagnostics in cancer care. We are pleased to partner with Apollo Hospitals and Guardant Health to introduce Shield MCD in India, expanding access to an innovative screening technology that complements existing screening pathways.”

Simranjit Singh, chief executive officer, Guardant Health AMEA added, 'We are pleased to bring the Shield Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) test to India through Apollo Cancer Centres and our longstanding commercial partner Zydus Lifesciences. Earlier detection has the potential to transform cancer outcomes, and Shield MCD represents an important advancement in helping identify cancer-associated signals through a single blood draw.”

Zydus Lifesciences is an innovative, global lifesciences company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies.

Apollo Hospitals was established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C Reddy, renowned architect of modern healthcare in India. It has a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, including Hospitals, Pharmacies, Primary Care & Diagnostic Clinics and several Retail Health models.